The Land of X
by Verthril
Summary: AU : Fantasy re-imagining of the X-men. In a world of pixies and dryads, pirates and magic, a boy will rise to a destiny laid before him. Charged to prevent the destruction of his world he'll stand with familiar faces of the X-men at his side. Ready to save their world they'll fight with all the chivalry and magic they can muster.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer : Marvel Owns The X-men, I'm just borrowing them.   
  
  
The Land Of X   
  
  


Chapter One: Pixie Dust   
  
  


Screams carried high into the canopy of the forest, hoof beats sounding, dancing through the woods as if to come from all sides. The girl raced with all the speed her legs would lend, her bare feet slapping against the dirt trail, her sandals long since lost in her haste to flee from the horseman that now chased her as one might a fox. Glancing back she could see the rider rounding the bend, an arm outstretched and ready to catch his prey as he urged his steed onward. A moment of distraction was all that was needed, an unseen root snaked to life, tripping her and sending the girl tumbled to the ground, the horseman racing past and missing his prize. 

"Help me!" The girl screamed, rising to her only to find her ankle twisted, any chance at flight lost. 

"Close your eyes." A piping voice called out, the twinkling sound of crystal dancing in the wind accenting a dot of light. 

Heeding the warning, she closed her eyes as tightly as she could, not knowing of any wiser thing to do. The tinkling sound of crystal grew to a deafening cacophony, followed by an eerie silence. Peeking an eye open, she regretted her curious nature as she saw a pixie with eyes of sapphire and hair as black as the night sky focusing an orb of shimmering pixie dust. With a heave of her little chest, she screamed the word 'Paff' and suddenly the ball of light and dust burst in a blinding flash. Screaming in surprise, she clutched at her eyes, as the sound of a startled horse sounded in the distance, throwing its rider and racing off from the pixie. 

"Warned ya silly." The voice of the pixie whispered in her ear, fatigue evident as a small weight found its way to her shoulder. 

"Damnation! Leave me be pixie! What business do you have bothering me?" The man called out, the heavy sound of his boots slamming into the dirt, a disorderly sound to them as he seemed to struggle about after being thrown from his mount. 

"Hey! I do what I'm told!" The pixie called out, a sound of crystal shattering sounding before the pain-filled scream of the man. 

Opening her eyes, the girl blinked back the dots dancing before her, to find the man racing off with his pants lacking a bottom, smoking cloth smoldering about his bare cheeks. Looking to her shoulder, she saw the pixie slumped down and looking rather dazed and tired. Taking the small being into her hands, she raised her to her nose as to gain a better look. Dressed in a shimmering dress of yellow silk, with eyes of sapphire and hair as black as the night sky the figure seemed to be as any other pixie, small and delicate, a mischievous twinkle to her eyes, and wings of gossamer fluttering lightly. 

"Thank you." The girl whispered, smiling to her savor. 

"Wee, dizzy. Yeah, don't thank me, thank him. Name's Jubilee by the way, what's yours?" Jubilee replied, raising a small hand to point behind her. 

"Kitty Pryde." The girl whispered, turning to find a man about a half a pace shorter than herself, dressed in animal pelts regarding her with a humor filled look in his steel gray eyes. 

Gasping in surprise, Kitty stumbled back only to be reminded of her ankle as pain flared, stumbling to the ground with the pixie into a heap. 

"OW! Get off!" Jubilee cried out, struggling to get free. 

"Lemme help ya up." The man remarked, hefting Kitty to her feet and picking up Jubilee in a gentle hand. 

"Who, who are you?" Kitty asked as her voice stuttered in fear of the man, recounting the rumors that filled the taverns with tales of a wild man who could no be killed. 

"S'name is Logan. You've met Jubilee. And that's Ororo over there." Logan rumbled, nodding off to a tree where a regal woman stepped out, a serene look to her eyes. 

"She's, She's..." Kitty stuttered, looking to the woman before her. 

"Dryad child?" Ororo replied, a shy smile upon her face as she looked to Kitty. 

"Yeah." Kitty replied flatly. 

"I do apologize for tripping you, though had I not the horseman would have caught you. Here, use this upon the ankle to keep the swelling down until you can find a healer." Ororo replied, handing kitty a small jar of salve. 

"Hey! What about me! She nearly crushed me I'll have ya know!" Jubilee belted out, darting about from place to place in the blink of an eye, wings fluttering angrily. 

"Here." Logan snorted, reaching into his satchel and pulling out a bit of sugarcane. 

"Nummy!" Jubilee cried out, darting down and snatching it, munching merrily upon it. 

"Thanks for the help, but might I ask why you helped me?" Kitty asked in a wary voice. 

"Ya looked like ya could use a hand kid, and what might I ask were ya doin' out here in these woods all alone? Ya got rocks in yer head?" Logan asked, motioning Kitty to sit down on a small rise in the path. 

"I was looking for herbs when the bandit came out of no where. At the time I wasn't that far from the village, but that has long since changed." Kitty replied, looking down to her ankle and then taking to applying the salve, hissing in pain. 

"Jubes Darlin'?" Logan asked, looking up to the pixie that now had taken to sitting upon Ororo's head. 

"No way. Nu uh. Paffin' him took enough outta me, noppers!" Jubilee retorted in a pipping voice, stuffing her face with her sugarcane afterwards. 

Without a word, Kitty watched as Logan pulled out a shaft of sugarcane and cut off a sliver the size of a coin, and then placing the rest back while holding out the second piece. Looking to the pixie, Kitty noted the hunger that lurked within her eyes. With the sound of crystal shattering, Jubilee now appeared at Logan's hand, tugging on the sugarcane. 

"Gimmie!" Jubilee snorted, pulling on it, though Logan kept a good grip upon it. 

"Do me a favor Jubes and I'll give it ta ya." Logan rumbled, looking down to the struggling pixie. 

"What?" Jubilee replied, looking up with a wary expression. 

"Heal her ankle wouldja?" Logan rumbled. 

"No! No way! Already tired enough as it is!" Jubilee belted out, darting away from the sugarcane and disappearing in a puff of glittering dust. 

"Where'd she go?" Kitty asked, looking about. 

"Invisible." Logan rumbled, the sound of a raspberry accenting his words. 

Ororo watched the exchange with humor in her eyes, and a smile upon her lips. Walking over to the pair she sat down with them, waiting patiently while Logan reached back into his satchel, retrieving the shaft of sugarcane. With his knife he carefully cut off another coin sized sliver of sugarcane and set it down upon his knee with the other. Looking about, he could hear the whimpering tone of his pixie friend trying to control herself. Carefully he cut another sliver off and placed it down, his ears catching the sound of the fluttering wings only a few paces away. 

"Three pieces and no more." Logan rumbled, placing the sugarcane back into his satchel and wiping his blade clean before re-sheathing it. 

Suddenly before their eyes Jubilee returned in a burst of dust and light. Fluttering down to the ankle, she hovered, wings beating furiously as dust danced and swirled into a ball before the tiny pixies outstretched hands. Her face was twisted with exertion as she did so, her eyes focused. Watching carefully, Kitty wasn't quite sure what was going to happen, but merely enough remained silent. 

"Paff!" Jubilee screamed, the ball of dust and light bouncing against Kitty's ankle and bursting in a cacophony of crystal shattering. 

The trio blinked back the dancing lights, and once their vision returned they found Jubilee laying asleep upon the path, now about two paces in height and slumbering lightly. Wiggling her foot, Kitty found to her relief that her ankle was now perfectly healed. Logan reached out and picked up the pixie, cradling her in his arms in a fatherly manner. 

"Ya did good Darlin', I'll give ya the sugarcane once ya wake up from yer lil nap." Logan whispered, pocketing the coin sized slivers of sugarcane and rising to his feet. 

"Thank you sir." Kitty remarked quietly, giving a curtsey to the man that seemed to have orchestrated her rescue from the bandit. 

"S'nothing. Now get back to yer village." Logan rumbled, walking off with Ororo into the woods and leaving Kitty stunned in silence at his enigmatic departure.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


The tavern hung with boisterous laughter as the village maiden told her tale. Wild men, pixies and dryads indeed Pete Wisdom thought to himself as he put back another swig of his pint of ale. Looking back to her he couldn't help but feel a little pity for her, a fair thing she was, but daft of mind obviously to have dreamed up such a tale to tell for her absence from the village. Up until word of the pixie was had she had them upon every breath, telling of how she had been collecting herbs for her mother when a bandit came upon her. It was no secret that the woods had many bandits to them, and many a man had tested his steel against their own in battle. 

"And then he pulled out a third coin sized sliver of sugarcane, and that was when her affection for the sweet treat got the better of her. With the magical word 'Paff' she healed my ankle in an eruption of light!" Kitty related, the men of the bar laughing, the barmaids ignoring the fool of the evening as they tended to the shouts for more pints of ale. 

"A dryad you say? I've not seen an Oak tree in these woods for going on a generation!" An elder of the village shouted, all knowing that the dryads could not stray too far from their tree lest illness take over them. 

"But its true! I saw him, the one they call the Wolverine as he is garbed in their pelts! And there was the pixie called Jubilee and the Dryad Ororo!" Kitty protested with a stamp of her foot. 

"I tell you what men, for such a fine tale we'll buy the lady a glass of the wine we all know Elfard keeps for himself? How does that sound?" A large man shouted, throwing a few coins onto the table which soon grew to a small pile. 

"That would be enough for a bottle. You sure you want to fill the girls head with enough spirits to conjure up even more fantastic tales?" Elfard the Barkeep remarked, nodding to a barmaid to collect the coins as he pulled out a bottle of wine from the nearest city. 

"If she can tell tales as wonderful as this one every night you bar will prosper with patrons to hear of them? What say men, I say give applauds to this girls tale!" The large man shouted, clapping loudly as soon more men joined in. 

Looking to the girl as she sat down at the bar defeated, she gratefully accepted the bottle of wine and a glass. With a glance to Pete, he gave her a smile, though she swiftly jerked her head away. Kitty was known to all as the daughter of the local herbalist, a woman whose herbs and salves had served in keeping many of the townsfolk and visiting travelers well of health. She was normally quiet and reserved, never one to lie or spin tales, and to have seen her tonight seemed out of place. While pretty to look at, she never seemed to be his type Pete mused, not that his type was anything defined, moreover was merely whatever drifted into the bar he called home. 

"I believe ya." Pete remarked, pausing to take a swig of his pint. 

"Liar." Kitty retorted, taking a sip of her wine and finding it to her liking. 

"Whot? Ya don't believe I believe ya?" Pete remarked, turning to find her brown eyes looking to him with a longing desire to believe that he believed her. 

"Do you?" Kitty asked meekly. 

"Kitty Pryde, ya ain't ever been one ta spin a tale. Whot makes me think you'd go and start doin' it now?" Pete remarked, downing the last of his pint afterwards and signaling for another. 

"I suppose there is a sense of irony to this that the town miscreant would believe me while no other would." Kitty replied in a sharp tone, turning away and burning a hole in the wall while she sipped upon her wine. 

"Whot? Miscreant? How so? Just because I enjoy relieving the odd bandit out there of what they stole, lining my own pouch with it doesn't make me all that bad? Besides, I help to keep this bar in order." Pete replied in an indignant tone, earning a snort from Kitty. 

"If you were at all noble you would return to the townsfolk what was stolen and join the guard, not wasting away here as a brute in the bar." Kitty retorted. 

"I pick my fights as I choose them, and finders keepers as far as the bandits loot goes." Pete retorted, taking a sip of the pint that had just been set before him. 

The bar seemed to hum with activity as men drank and told tales to one another of their travels outside of the village. The minstrel had now taken to playing his lyre upon the small stage, keeping a lively pace as men started to clap in unison with the beating of the minstrels foot against the stage, adding deafening bass to the song as he played. And gone unnoticed in the corner, a man sat with his cloak still about him, and a hat drawn down low to shield his eyes. A bottle of whisky sat on the table with him, half emptied. His gaze remained fixed upon the girl at the bar, a careful glance had to the man beside her. With a flash of red eyes he looked to the barmaid that had taken to serving him. 

"Who be de fille?" The man asked in an accent not of these lands, the barmaid glancing back to the bar. 

"Oh? That's just Kitty Pryde, why?" The girl asked, looking down to the man and noting the aura of danger that hung about him. 

"No reason. Here, for de bottle and keep de rest for yourself." Remy remarked as he rose, tossing a few coins from his pouch onto the table, more than enough for the bottle of whisky he now took with him as he stalked out of the bar. 

"Sure thing Mister." The girl replied, fishing out her tip and pocketing it before returning to the bar with the rest.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


"Meanie, bribin' me with sugarcane! Ya know I can't resist it!" Jubilee grumbled, pausing to take another angry bite out of the coin sized sliver of sugar cane and melting in bliss as the sweet taste. 

"Sorry Darlin'." Logan rumbled, checking on the rabbit that hung over the fire on a branch braced with another branch. 

"How you can eat that I cannot imagine." Ororo replied, looking to the poor remains of the hapless rabbit Logan had caught with a snare. 

"Man's gotta eat and unlike Jubes I can't live off sugarcane, or offa yer tree like you can." Logan rumbled back as he leaned against the stump he had taken to sitting at. 

"I'm sure you could have forraged for some berries and roots." Ororo replied, looking down to the rabbit once more and grimacing. 

"I ain't no rabbit 'Ro, I eat meat." Logan grunted, pulling his suede hat over his eyes as he lounged. 

"Mmmm Sugar." Jubilee interjected, munching merrily upon the sugarcane. 

"Still got de sweet tooth eh P'tit?" A new voice called out from the darkness, startling all as they turned to look to the shadows where red on black eyes hung ominously. 

"Remy!" Jubilee erupted, flitting into the air and dashing towards him, the glow of her pixie dust dispelling the shadows. 

"What's brought you out this way Gumbo?" Logan asked, hefting his hat up with a nod of his head as he looked to the thief. 

"Heard de tale of 'ow you saved some fille from a bandit, t'ough de rest of de bar t'ink she be daft." Remy remarked as he sat down next to Logan, pulling a bottle of whisky from his satchel and handing it to the older man. 

"Yer a Saint." Logan remarked a moment before he clamped his teeth down on the cork, pulling it free and spitting it into his lap. 

"Non, just be de kind of man wit' a little foresight." Remy remarked with an amused grin to the fluttering pixie darting about his head. 

"How much sugar 'as de P'tit 'ad?" Remy asked, looking to Logan as he downed a healthy swig of whisky. 

"Too much. Though I'm sure the kid probably told of how I had ta bribe her to heal the kids foot." Logan remarked, handing the bottle back to Remy. 

"Oui, just tell me she not 'ad de third piece yet." Remy whispered, pausing to take a swig of the whisky. 

"Ooo! Forgot I had more!" Jubilee squealed as she darted back to the small handkerchief that served as a picnic blanket for her, picking up the piece and munching upon it. 

"Merde." Remy groaned, picking up the cork and placing it back in the bottle. 

Silence hung about the campsite, broken only by the tittering laughter of Ororo as she looked to the two men, accented by Jubilee's munching upon sugarcane. Above the small group the night sky stretched on into infinity, the three moons dancing in their eternal dance across the sky. Dancing high into the night sky glowing specks of light rose from the fire, dimming as the flecks cooled in the chilled night air. 


	2. Escape

Disclaimer : Marvel Owns The X-men, I'm just borrowing them.   
  
  
The Land of X   
  
  


Chapter 2: Escape   
  
  


The sun light tinkled through the canopy of the forest, a gentle rustle drifting through the woods with the gentle breeze visiting. The fire pit had long since been put out, dirt now resting over the cold embers. Sitting on a log Logan pulled out a large pipe, stuffing it with tobacco and lighting it with a small twig that nursed a flame. Handing the twig over to Remy, who sat waiting with a smaller pipe, Logan took a few puffs as he regarded the campsite. Nestled somewhere in the berry bush, Jubilee could be heard tugging on raspberries and munching on them oblivious to all that went about her. The only one absent from the evening prior was Ororo the Dryad, long since having returned to her Oak tree to rest. 

"So, what brings ya out this way Gumbo?" Logan asked, regarding the younger man as he took a few puffs of his ornate pipe. 

"Need ta ask you a favor, mon ami." Remy remarked, letting smoke billow in his mouth afterwards before dispelling it. 

"What kinda favor?" Logan asked with suspicion in his voice and a wary glint to his steel gray eyes. 

"De kinda help dat would get my lady love out of de dungeon she be in." Remy remarked, pausing to take a puff of his pipe. 

"Rogue?" Logan asked in a more concerned tone, having known the girl since she was an inch shy of his waist. 

"De one and only, t'ough I do oblige de ladies on occasion, only Rogue hold de keys to dis thieves heart." Remy remarked with a fond affection seeping into his voice, his eyes steeling with anger after as he thought of what she might be enduring as they spoke. 

"Where?" Logan asked flatly, letting smoke steam from his nose as he gave a snort. 

"De city of Haustil, she was caught by de guards after helping a lil' 'un get away with a loaf of bread he stole, no doubt only outta hunger wit' de Duke of dat city." Remy remarked, glancing to the bush as Jubilee rustled out, a berry the size of her head in her hands, her face stained red with the juice. 

"We goin' on an adventure?" Jubilee asked, looking at the men with serious expressions on their faces. 

"Oui, and dis t'ief t'inking it be right up your ally P'tit." Remy remarked with a tinkle in his eyes. 

"Oh? Whatcha doin?" Jubilee asked, sitting down on a leaf and munching on her berry. 

"Breakin' Roguey outta de Duke of Haustil's Dungeon." Logan remarked flatly, taking a puff of his pipe after. 

"Yay! I like Rogue! Any of those guards give me any grief and it's Paff!" Jubilee snorted, tossing her berry aside and darting over to Remy's cup of water, washing her face in it. 

"Non, dis t'ief t'inking it be best if we do it stealthily first. While Logan and moi make our way dere, can you fly dere and find Roguey for us?" Remy asked, looking down to Jubilee with a stern look. 

"S'no problem! Ain't no pixie in all the land that can out fly me!" Jubilee replied, darting into the air and blinking about before the men, proving her speed. 

"Good. And tell her dat I miss her and will be dere as soon as I can." Remy added, smiling to Jubilee. 

"K! See ya!" Jubilee replied, darting high into the sky and disappearing into the sun, the sound of crystal shattering as flew as fast as she could to the city of Haustil. 

"So, what're we waitin' for, lets break camp and get hoofin' it. It's a days walk to that town, meanin' we'd arrive just at the right time for some sneaky work." Logan rumbled, rising to his feet and looking to Remy with a preditory glint in his eyes. 

"Don 'ave to tell dis t'ief twice." Remy remarked, gathering his belongings and taking to hiding any traces of their night spent there.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Looking down to the shackles binding her wrists, Rogue let out a growl thinking of the injustice of the situation. The guards would have beat within an inch of his life had she not intervened upon his behalf, even offering to pay for the stolen loaf of bred. She found out to her dismay that they were to make an example of the child, and advanced upon her, demanding she leave or face retribution on behalf of the Guards of Duke Pierce. With a swift kick she had dispatched the head of the guard, slamming into his face and breaking his nose. Pulling out her daggers she was ready to face the others when an unseen attacker gripped her from behind. To her dismay another band of guards had stalked up upon her while tending to the first band. Heaving a sigh, she looked to her cellmate, the boy she had sought to save, now joining him in his fate. 

"Sorry Chica." The boy she had found to be known as Angelo remarked again, looking to her with a defeated look. 

"S'alright kid. Ah'm used ta this kinda thing. Ah'm just sorry that ya got thrown in here with me and didn't get back home." Rogue replied in a gentle voice, testing to see if she could find purchase to slide her slender hands out of the shackles. 

"Paff!" A piping voice screamed, light flashing about the door and bringing blinding illumination to the dim setting of the dungeon. 

"Dios! We under attack?" Angelo asked, rising to his feet, alarmed. 

"No sugah! The Calvary just came ta bust us out!" Rogue replied, rising to her feet and slamming a foot into the door, watching as it fell with a sickening sound on the floor, held about two inches off the ground by an unseen lump. 

"Evil!" The tiny pixie snorted, looking to the door and giving a snort. 

"Jubes?" Rogue asked, looking to the pixie. 

"Rogue!" Jubilee cried out, flying in and looking about the cell, snorting in disgust. 

"Dios! A pixie!" Angelo exclaimed, looking to Jubilee. 

"So? Never seen a pixie before?" Jubilee asked, flying up to the boys shackles and working a little pixie dust on them, then chanting a couple words as they unlocked. 

"Next!' Jubilee screamed as she flitted over to Rogue and did the same, unlocking her shackles. 

"Remy send for ya Sugah?" Rogue asked, removing the shackles and sneaking up to the door as she kept watch for guards. 

"Yeah, he told me ta find ya, but well, Evil!" Jubilee snorted, pointing to the lump where the door rested. 

"Evil?" Angelo asked, walking up to Rogue and peeking in the other direction. 

"Goblin. Pixie's hate evil beings, get very peeved when they find anythin' evil about them." Rogue explained, waving the boy on as Jubilee followed. 

"So, let me guess, Logan and Remy are on there way ta save us right?" Rogue asked as she walked along, finding another goblin guard dispatched with what seemed to be a sleep spell. 

"Yup!" Jubilee exclaimed, watching as Rogue relieved the vile creature of its short sword. 

"Then Ah guess we'll have ta meet 'em in the middle eh?" Rogue inquired, stalking along quietly up the winding corridor of stairs, granite walls covered in moss and wet to the touch with the chill that filled the dungeons. 

"What about me miss?" Angelo inquired, picking up the shield and watching their backs. 

"Ah say we pick up yer momma and any siblings ya have and split. Ah know of a town where ya'll be safe and I can set ya up with some work there. Hope ya don't mind a lil hard work, friend o' mine is own's a smithy and is lookin' fer an apprentice." Rogue replied, finding another dispatched guard and relieving it of it's dagger, handing it to Angelo. 

"Not at all. Momma Espinosa didn't raise no child afraid of a little work." Angelo remarked with pride in his voice, testing the balance on the dagger, which he seemed rather clumsy with. 

Suddenly the sound of boots slamming against the granite steps echoed through the corridor, dancing off the walls and echoing deep within the dungeon. Sparing a glance to Jubilee, Rogue then stepped behind the pixie and warned Angelo to cover his eyes and keep them shut. 

"Why miss?" Angelo asked, looking up to Jubilee as she summoned up a ball of pixie dust. 

"Cause Ah don't think ya wanna be seein' spots fer the next week straight." Rogue whispered, thankful the boy listened, then closing her own eyes. 

Shouts and hollers echoed now, the voices of men mixed with the hired goblin help. They paused suddenly, gasps sounding from the goblins as they shouted warnings, but were too late. After the customary 'Paff' scream, the deafening sound of crystal shattering resounded as light flared, leaving Rogue and Angelo trying to no avail to squint tighter against the assault. Waiting for the light to dim, they opened their eyes and saw Jubilee fluttering with a defiant air to her. 

"Evil!" Jubilee snorted out, flying down to a goblin and kicking it in the nose. 

"Right Sugah, C'mon Ange, lets get outta here!" Rogue called out, grabbing Angelo by the arm as they raced up the stairs, Jubilee rushing ahead of them and screaming the word Paff before another burst of light illuminated the corridor. 

Rushing past the dazed guards, they finally came to the gate, finding two very large Orcs standing guard there. Stopping dead in their tracks, they stared in horror as they spotted Jubilee's limp form on the stairs, one wing bent in an unnatural direction, while the other fluttered with a static twitch. Not thinking of his own welfare, Angelo dashed forth, leaping off the wall and tumbling to the ground, catching Jubilee and cradling the fallen pixie in his arms, rolling out of the way as a halberd came crashing down where only a moment before he had occupied. 

"Chica? You okay?" Angelo asked in a quiet voice, rising to his feet after tumbling behind Rogue, his blood running cold as he found no answer. 

"Ya boys don't know the world of hurt ya just got yer sorry butts inta!" Rogue screamed, brandishing her sword with practiced ease, charging the orcs. 

Unknowing of anything else, the Orcs charged her, slamming their halberds down in vain attempts to dispatch their enemy, though her speed and agility keeping her a hairs breath away from being slashed or impaled by their attacks. Again and again she dodged, parrying an attack here and stabbing with the short sword. Striking a blow against one of the orcs, he fell back stunned, looking to the gash running down his chest. Slamming the pummel of her sword into the chin of the other orc, the creature fell back as blood spilled from his mouth. With a swift swipe of her sword Rogue disarmed the beast, leveling her sword upon the creature with anger burning in her eyes and venom in her voice. 

"Unlock the door or ya can get yerself another pie hole!" Rogue roared, watching with satisfaction as the creature rushed to the door, unlocking it and cowering from her. 

Ushering Angelo on, carrying Jubilee in his arms, she backed out of the door, stealing the keys and locking the fallen guards in. Rushing out into the street, the pair raced into the alley and the safety the shadows offered. Finally after racing down several more blocks, they came to an old tavern, the less reputable tavern in all of Haustil. Mingling in the crowd, they finally found a table occupied by a lone figure enshrouded within the shadows. 

"Please sit and join me for a pint." The man remarked in a flat tone, his arms stretching out and pointing to the empty seats. 

"Thanks." Rogue replied flatly, taking the offered seat and then relieving Angelo of his burden. 

"Jubes sugah? Honey?" Rogue questioned quietly, looking to the fallen pixie. 

"Ho...honey?" Jubilee sputtered, opening her eyes and looking up, blinking until the fuzzy image of Rogue sharpened. 

"Ah'll get ya some honey once Ah can. How are ya feelin'?" Rogue asked quietly, sitting Jubilee on her lap and looking over the girl. 

"Stupid Orcs! Evil! Ow." Jubilee sputtered, fluttering her wing and wincing as the broken one shook with the effort. 

"Hey. No flyin' till we get ya to a healer, ya got me?" Rogue said in a stern voice, pointing a finger at the pixie. 

"No, ow, complaints from me." Jubilee replied, looking about at the tavern and shivering before muttering about Evil. 

"Indeed, some of the less righteous do linger here, but too do the righteous linger here hiding from the Duke's men." The shadow enshrouded figure remarked, raising his beer stein to his lips, taking a healthy swig. 

"Mucho gracias senor, I'm Angelo Espinosa and this is..." Angelo began, cut off by the figure. 

"Rogue." The figure remarked with a humor to his voice. 

"Ah know ya?" Rogue asked with a regarding glance. 

"Of course." The figure remarked, voice drifting from male to female as the figure ventured into the light, dark blue skin covering the woman while yellow eyes looked at the pair. 

"Mother!" Rogue gasped, looking to the woman who had drifted in and out of her life like a fog. 

"Yes, you seem surprised that I would be here." Mystique replied, her voice shifting back to that of a man as her form shifted back to the guise taken. 

"As Ah haven't seen ya in well over four seasons, Ah can say that yes, it is a surprise ta see ya." Rogue replied, regaining her calm as she edged her seat away from her mother. 

Angelo merely looked to the woman in shock, as if seeing a pixie wasn't strange enough, now a doppelganger on top of that, of whom the most feared assassins and spies drew numbers from. Looking to Rogue, he could only wonder now if she had been raised by the woman, or if she herself was too a doppelganger. Without thinking, he reached for the pint and took a healthy swallow, finding his throat suddenly parched. 

"Help yourself boy." Mystique remarked in a baritone voice as she signaled over a bar wench and ordered a round, Angelo and herself another pint of ale each, while Rogue took a glass of ice water, the barkeep obviously knowing a cantrip to create ice. 

"Can I have some honey?" Jubilee asked, peeking her head up from Rogues lap and looking to Mystique. 

"Later. For now just have some of Rogue's ice water." Mystique remarked, her voice shifting to female as her face flickered to her own for a moment. 

"Meanie." Jubilee snorted, settling herself down on Rogue's lap, taking care not to flutter her wings with the nervous energy that filled her, stemming from being near so many evil creatures that visited the tavern.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Remy and Logan paused in the alleyway, clinging to the shadows as the guards rushed past. Listening with his heightened senses, Logan caught word of their search for the Skunk streaked woman and the foot pad who had escaped. Listening for a moment longer, he caught word of their escape with the aid of a pixie and Logan could only smirk at the thought of Jubilee 'Paffin' the guards senseless. 

"Kid busted out yer lady love and some kid she was in with." Logan whispered to Remy, the latter peeking his head out and dashing to the next alleyway. 

Silently Logan followed, the two men making their way to one of the less reputable establishments that even the Duke's men would not patron nor search in. Hefty bribes were had by the owner of the bar, the Duke leaving it in peace as the gold that came in was enough to offset any criminals escaping to its safety. Taking the lead, Logan kept his senses sharp, listening for the slightest sound of ambush from the shadow enshrouded doorways they walked past, his nose sharp for the telltale signs of bandits. Giving a snort as a familiar scent filled his senses, he paused in doorway and pulled Remy into the shadows with him. 

"I picked up their scent, mixed with an ol' friend o' ours." Logan whispered, clamping a hand down over his friends mouth as another scent filled his nose, keeping silence for the moments until the guards rushed past. 

Peeking his head out of the doorway, and finally satisfied the guards where long gone, Logan released his hand and leaned back in. Remy's demon eyes regarded him with anger mixed with curiosity as he looked to his elder. 

"Mystique." Logan whispered, noticing as the anger flared in Remy's eyes. 

"Dat witch! What be she doin' here?" Remy hissed, racing from the doorway and to the tavern, not caring about stealth anymore, nor the bounty on his head, merely about finding his lady love and perhaps running through the witch Mystique. 


	3. Thieves and Pirates oh my

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

Remy LeBeau, Bandit King and the scourge of the Highways of Haustil, burst through the doors of the tavern with his sabre in hand. Known as the man with the Uncounted Bounty he easily spotted Rogue and stormed through the crowd to her. Levelling his blade at the throat of the Witch Mystique only then did he realize he might have acted a little too brazenly throwing a look to his lady love.

"Do ya know how many in this bar are after the price on your head ya idjit?" Rogue yelled at him while her eyes lingered on the path he had wound through to get to her.

Catching the smile on Mystique's lips Remy imagined the number of men had to be a lot even as a rough hand yanked him from the table.

"He's mine, the bounty is mine!" As nonchalant as a man waiting for his boots to be polished Remy stood there until finally he heard the gurgling gasp of the man who now found a blade lodged between his ribs.

"Merde, this always happens. Excuse moi." The owner of the blade retrieved it from the man's ribs as he looked up to Remy.

"Bounties only be good if you can spend dem homme." The advice fell on deaf ears it seemed.

It always seemed to go this way, some lazy page not bothering to finish his days work and labelling the bounty as 'Uncounted' leaving everyone thinking it was a fortune. Last Remy had honestly heard from people in the know the bounty was worth exactly three bottles of whisky and a lame horse, but the Duke found some perverse pleasure in letting Remy twist in the wind over a single card games winnings. At the very lease it had become an old game by now, letting them all do his work for him as they fought over the bounty.

Despite the bother he could at least find some fun in the brawl, slashing belts to send men's pantaloons falling to their knees between piercing hats and tossing them in the hearth, even pocketing a few bugling purses of coins that the fallen seemed to had forgotten about. Sure enough from the corner of his eye Remy could see Logan at the bar ordering a drink without a care in the world, putting back the cold ale even as Remy kicked some man in his family crest, the oldest and dirtiest tricks simply the best.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew Mystique had run for it, a debt to be settled some other day. For now he simply added to the tales of the Uncounted Bounty as he cleared the tavern of ruffians and vagabonds who sought quick riches in all the wrong places.

"Barkeep, de men on de floor, dey wish to apologise for de damage dey cause. Here, enjoy." Remy said tossing over one of the bulging purses of coins he had relieved of the men even as he found a full bottle of brandy sitting unopened.

"Now, if you could be showing moi and my friends to de exit o' exits, dis t'ief would be very t'ankful, non?" With a silver coin between his teeth the barkeep pulled on what looked otherwise as a tapestry, a row of kegs rolling away to reveal a passage wrought through the stonework of the building itself into cold darkness.

"Merci, au revoir." Remy and Logan stood rear guard as Rogue raced off with Jubilee in her tender care, Angelo following along still drinking his mug of ale.

Sitting down in the depths of the sewers of Haustil the group looked to one another with only the sparkling dust of Jubilee's injured wings to dispel the darkness.

"Ah promised to save his family." Rogue said with a glance to the rail thin boy next to her.

Remy knew a thieve's word was their honour, working around the legalities a past time but a promise being a promise.

"Oui, we get dem. Don you worry Chere. De Guthrie Clan already be getting der caravan ready for us to be smuggled away in." Relief spread across his amore's beautiful face then, looking down to her injured friend only to find her napping quietly.

"Angelo, you tell Logan where you find your family, tell him something only you'd know that would be getting dem to meet us. We take you somewhere safe." The pair broke off into the shadows leaving Remy in the company of Rogue quite nearly alone as he wrapped am arm about her.

"You know Chere, dis reminds me of de time in Khaus, de theft of de Eye of Magnus, non?" Despite herself Rogue could only grin to her beau, placing a kiss upon his cheek.

"Ya mean the time we hid down in the sewer's during a rain storm? Oh how romantic!" Remy chuckled at the memory, each holding another for dear life as the worst of the city washed past them with their loot tucked between her pale breasts.

"Merde, how was I to know dat it was cursed, Jubilee took care of dat whole thing didn't she?" Remy said in his defence.

To whomever stole the Eye of Magnus would be cursed to drain the life of whoever they touched. It wasn't until the pair met Logan and his pixie companion that he had seen Rogue smile again. For four years Rogue lived with the fear of touching another until Jubilee's pixie magic dispelled the curse.

"You know, there still be another Eye out there, what say we find out what bad mojo be on dat one and go pilfer it so we have de matching set, non?" Laughing Remy hugged her even as she punched him in the shoulder, her anger at the suggestion fading to relief at the tender embrace.

"Ya got rocks in your head ya Idjit, ain't no way Ah'm stealin' another Eye unless it's a good one." Kissing her brow Remy honestly couldn't agree more, the Eye's of Magnus often claimed to be the very source of Magic itself in the world, that they had even stolen one remarkable enough.

"Bon, Okay, dis t'ief knows when he be beat. We just get out of here and get de boy set up with your smith friend non?" In silence the trio waited until Logan finally left the sewers to fetch Angelo's family, waiting patiently until the tobacco pouch fell through the grating of the street that signalled all was according to plan.

"Dis way, oh, and if you have a good sense of smell be sure to hold your breath, de Guthrie's are at de stables."

Nearly an hour later the troupe wound their way through the sewers and the filth that ran through them until finally arriving at the stables of the East Gate. Angelo looked positively grey at the stench, Rogue paler than normal and Jubilee had long since passed out gasping for breath and swearing retribution upon Remy. Despite this Remy chuckled as he noticed the very boy he'd expected to see, the eldest of the Clan Guthrie standing in the shadows with a flintlock pistol.

"Sam, good to see you boy, you be getting taller non?" Remy looked about the shadowy sewers, glad to be leaving them even for the stables.

The youth in question tipped his hat with the barrel of his pistol, leading them on to the secret tunnels back in the sewers that would lead their way to freedom. Fresh air was a relief as they all eyed the distant caravan sitting at the riverside, the ancient limestone the city had been built upon littered with secret canyons and caves that held it as a favoured city of smugglers and bandits alike.

"S'name is Cannonball now, after Daddy." Sam confessed finally as he strode towards the family caravan.

"Good name, good man. May he rest in peace." Rogue and he both offered a moment of silence to the patriarch of the Clan Guthrie then.

The news of his ship sinking in the Gulf of Semmarch had been a sad day for any brigand with an ounce of honour, a pirate of class and deadly with his cannons. Cannonball Guthrie and his ship the Crossed Sabres were both feared and respected upon the high seas. Remy looked the lad over with an appraising eye before coming to a decision as he unbuckled a belt and offered up the sheathed blade.

"Jean Luc gave dis sword to me, use it in honour of your Papa Cannonball." Sam took the sheathed blade reverently and pulled it from it's scabbard, testing the weight and balance with practised ease.

"Ah'm honoured Mister LeBeau." The snap of the blade sheathing punctuated the statement as he wrapped the belt about his waist.

Quite nearly a half of an hour later Angelo raced off to greet his mother and siblings who sat around the campfire, the Guthrie's doing the same for Sam and offering praise at noticing the blade upon the youth's hip. Sitting apart from them they saw Logan at a covered wagon smoking his pipe looking solemn.

"What took ya?" Logan asked with smoke rings drifting lazily from the bowl of his pipe as he looked to the pair and his injured companion.

"Merde Logan, you t'ink de sewers dat easy to navigate you do it next time." In truth all he or Rogue longed for now was a hot bath, together if he had anything to say about it, but for now a change of clothes would do.

"Rogue ma Chere, what say you and I go get slipped into something more comfortable non?" Reluctantly Rogue set Jubilee down next to Logan upon his bedroll he had waiting for her, the pair leading off to the covered wagon of Mama Guthrie.

-=+=–=+=–=+=-

"He's a real elf?" Angelo asked of the younger Guthrie's looking to the man slumbering in the back of a wagon, blue fur covering his person as a spaded tail ran from his bottom.

"Yes, he was Daddy's First Mate." Paige confessed as she gently ran a finger upon the man's brow, bandages and balms upon him. "He, he found us to tell us about Papa. He hasn't woken in weeks."

Angelo felt pained at the revelation, his own father so distant a memory he couldn't even remember the man more than a shadow of his earliest memories. They'd been on the road for a day now with Haustil long in the distance. Of all the Guthrie Clan he'd met so far Angelo liked Paige the most, her nose always in a scroll reading or talking with Logan about his travels.

The little pixie that had broken him out of the dungeon along with Missus Rogue hadn't woken once yet since they'd set off, but Logan promised all she needed a good nap before she'd be bothering them all. On more than one occasion he'd offered to feed her the honey water they'd fed her, marvelling as her wings mended before his eyes ever so slowly. Yet now he walked aside the wagon of the injured First Mate and simply watched in disbelief at all the mystical beings of the strange troupe of people who'd rescued him.

"What's his name?" Angelo asked looking to the man who lay in a pained dreamless slumber.

"Kurt, Kurt Wagner, the Nightcrawler." Paige replied as she rolled up her scroll and put it away in her leather satchel for safe keeping.

"Dios, the Nightcrawler? And your Papa was really the Cannonball?" Angelo caught the slight smile she offered, amazed.

They were just names he'd heard thrown around in conversation cleaning taverns and shovelling stables. They weren't real people, couldn't be for all the stories he'd heard about them. Yet now he'd met not only one but the family of the other, saw the pain Paige's eyes at the loss of her own father.

"Sorry Chica." Angelo felt the words to be hollow, but could say little else.

Right now he wished for a hat to hold over his heart in respect, instead bowing his head as the wagon rambled on down the dirt road. Racing to catch up he found Paige looking a little less heartbroken then and he could only smile, sadness simply not looking right upon her.

"Thank you." Paige said quietly with her eyes upon the First Mate, lingering concern within the blue depths.

Sitting up at the head of the caravan Logan and Remy sat next to the heir to the Clan, the young Sam who now bore the mantle of Cannonball upon his shoulders. Even if his ship lay at the bottom of the sea he looked every bit the image of his father Logan remembered as nothing more than a cabin boy years before.

"How long till we reach Westchester?" Logan asked as he packed his bowl, knowing the answer but finding it an excuse for conversation.

"A week at best, two weeks at worst if the pass is washed out." Sam remarked, snapping the reigns.

Sam knew the roads as well as his father knew the Seas, every Highwayman from Haustil to the Untamed Wilds knowing better than to harass the Clan Guthrie. The lyre played by his younger brother Josh danced upon the afternoon breeze lazily, the boy a heartthrob of many a village maiden with an angelic voice that sang now full of sorrow.

"When Jubes wakes up I'll get her to see ta Kurt, she always had a soft spot for the fuzzy elf." Logan saw the relief in the youth's eyes then as he snapped he reigns on and urged the horses to a canter.

"Thank you Mister Logan." Smirking at the formality it reminded him too much of the elder Cannonball, the clumsy boy who once nearly blew their own ship up the day he'd lost a lit ball down in the decks.

In the years since he'd never made the same mistake but turned his then scornful nickname into a feared namesake, a namesake worthy of young Sam. Remy sat next to them with his hat drawn over his eyes seemingly catching a moments rest yet Logan knew better, the Bandit King listening raptly to the moment that felt too personal between the Wildman and young Sam.

Hours passed in amicable silence, the Guthrie Clan well used to living their lives upon the road as they cooked and cleaned their wash, Angelo and his family had been quickly drawn into the daily routine as the boy peeled potatoes and more than once ran out with a chamber pot to be thrown in the ditch. Rogue sat with Paige who had taken a turn feeding the pixie her honey water, chatting about the older woman's travels and all she'd seen when their ward finally awake with a yawn.

"Hungry!" Jubilee cried out with her stomach rumbling. Paige looked upon the pixie with a smile, old friends with Jubilee and her ravenous appetite for sweets.

"Well ya best eat up, Kurt is hurt and needs you're magic." Paige said, offering a slice of sugarcane Logan had given to her for when his Darlin' woke up.

Jubilee looked crestfallen at the words, vanishing in a crash of glass breaking only to appear over the wagon of the Nightcrawler. In amazement both Rogue and Paige watched the ball of pixie dust form until the scream echoed in the woodlands around them, "Paff!"

Leaping from their carriage the pair raced to the wagon to find a dizzy looking Jubilee laying upon Kurt with wings fluttering chaotically. Yet as they stared in shock the blue furred elf cracked an eye open and looked about, his golden eyes falling upon Paige with a pained expression.

"Kurt!" The younger Guthrie climbed into the wagon to embrace the swashbuckler who looked in shock at the bandages that were wrapped about his body, remembered the fight to escape the listing ship.

"Paige?' Moments later the heir to the Clan joined the embrace having bounded from wagon to wagon, Kurt marvelling at how much the boy had grown since he'd last seen him.

"Sam? How, I should be dead?" It was only then he noticed Rogue grinning at him sitting at the back of the wagon, the tiny pixie in her arms nibbling on her sugarcane.

"Paige took care of ya Sir, used everything Mistress Ororo taught her. But it was the pixie who did the rest." Sam offered, a bit of strawberry smacking against his forehead.

"Pfft, Paige did it all, I just woke your fuzzy butt up." Jubilee said as she climbed over Rogue looking in her pockets for more sweets, Rogue giggling at the tickling sensation of the pixie's fingers.

"It was nothing Sir, just glad you're alive and awake." Paige blushed at the praise clutching her satchel tightly to her chest with all the scrolls kept safely within.

Kurt looked about the caravan and noticed the many souls of Clan Guthrie waving to him then, relief and sadness mixed upon their faces at having the oldest friend of their father awake again.

"Sam! My bag, where is my bag?" Kurt suddenly cried out and she looked about the wagon, Paige finding the sought bag under a pile of blankets.

"Here sir!" The fuzzy elf clutched the bag tightly for a moment relief etched upon his face, looking within for the final task his Captain had laid before him.

"Samuel Guthrie, by the Laws of the High Seas I do bear upon you the title of Captain of the Crossed Sabres, Cannonball Guthrie your father before you having fallen with his ship." From the bag he drew a signet ring and passed it reverently to Sam, a compass next and a map.

"It might not be the Crossed Sabres, but your Papa left you something in a cove." Slipping the signet ring upon his finger Sam unfurled the map then and marvelled at the detail and craftsmanship.

The Crossed Sabres crest lay within a cove at the edge of the Untamed Wilds, undoubtedly where his inheritance lay.

"A ship?" Sam asked in wonder of the First Mate, Kurt giving a toothy grin as his tail flickered back and forth.

"Your ship Herr Guthrie, it would be an honour to have you for my Captain as your father Cannonball was before you." Paige looked in awe of the moment, her brother frozen in place by the weight falling upon his shoulders then.

"It would be an honour Mister Wagner!" Sam replied, taking the Elf's hand in his own.

From the head of the caravan Logan heard every word said and grinned, urging the horses on past the road Westchester down the fork to the Untamed Wilds.

"Dis thief t'inking things be getting interesting now, non?" Remy said as he pulled a deck of cards from his coat pocket to shuffle them.

"Kid's gonna need a crew." Logan said flatly as he reached for his pipe, lighting the bowl and puffing away.

"Oh I be sure we can help him find a few on de way non? Already looks like he has a cabin boy in Angelo." Logan threw the young lad napping at the back of their wagon a grin.

"I'm sure we can pick up a few more along the way." Logan said giving the reigns a snap.

"Oui, always a few people like dat on de way, might even meet some old friends. Been a while since I been to de wilds." Logan nodded in return though kept his gaze to the horizon, the Untamed Wilds a dangerous place to travel as he found out all too long ago.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"Dios, should trees look like that?" Angelo asked from the lead wagon in the caravan sitting aside Logan.

The road they'd travelled upon had been lost all too long ago, winding their way now over the bones of the world, ancient stone that nothing dared grow upon that had as many tales told about them as there were fish in the sea. About the bones ancient trees grew to staggering heady heights, gnarled trucks twisted and immense with moss and vines upon them.

"This is what the world looks like without Man." Logan said simply, already catching scent of the Fey of the forest, the pixies and drayds alike who watched them from the distance.

Angelo held his tongue and stared in wonder of the primeval forest, catching sight of the eyes that watched them from behind the leaves and within the shadows and the hollows. Jubilee had been flying about the caravan in a flash of light, her tinkling echo distance. Time and again she'd wave to the forest and he'd hear giggling and laughter in reply, catch sight of other pixies flitting through the woodlands in greeting.

"This is her home isn't it?" Angelo finally asked of Logan who only nodded in reply, staring amazed again at how swiftly his life had changed.

Alongside the wagon the young Cannonball parried and fenced with the Nightcrawler as they kept pace, branches wielded in place of their blades with both bearing flushed joyful grins at the mock battle.

"Is it safe to break for camp here Senor Logan?" Angelo inquired striving to find the sun through the canopy of the forest, the flicking light above all but hidden.

"Safe, no. But the horses need a rest as much as anyone. Be a good lad and get ready." In their travels he'd tended to the horses as much as he had in his years tending stables, brushing them down and feeding them before leading them to water and such.

It made him feeling useful as it earned him a place amongst these people, wondering just where he and his family wound end up at the end of the journey. The bones of the world lead on until a shallow stream ran across them, the caravan coming to a halt at it's banks. Joyful cries were had as the wagons were pulled about and tents set up, the Clan Guthrie happy to stretch their legs upon solid ground again.

In the time they'd been together Mama Guthrie and his own mother had become fast friends he found, smiling as the elder women yelled after children and laughed at their antics, loving gazes thrown his way and to Sam alike. Leading a pair of horses to the stream Angelo noticed Paige and Sam talking at the bank, the pair filling jugs of water for the evening meal. Paige was a beauty he realized not for the first time as her hair fell over her shoulders with skin tanned to a soft caramel. Only as he felt a hand upon his shoulder did Angelo realize he'd been staring, looking up and seeing the smiling face of Josh there with his lyre thrown over his shoulder.

"So you think my sister cute hmm?" Angelo felt his cheeks burning then caught in the act as it were.

"Don't worry, she thinks you're cute too. Just remember which family this is though before you start sneaking off together." The veiled threat left Angelo quickly returning to his duties, catching Paige looking his way from the corner of his eye as he did his best to appear busy.

Josh waved to her and raced off to help her with jug, singing a lilting song as he did. He didn't know how long it took to water all of the many horses of the caravan before tying them off for the night. But as Angelo finally joined the others around the bonfire he smelt the delightful cooking he'd grown to love, fresh caught game and foraged edibles from the forest cooked expertly by Mama Guthrie, with his own mother learning from the woman as she tended a cast iron skillet large enough to be a table. From the edge of the forest he saw Rogue returning with the pixie Jubilee resting on her shoulder.

"Leave it to pixie to find all the best berry bushes." Rogue called out holding a basket filled with berries of every kind, a few wild fruits and edible flowers.

Over the fire a brace of rabbits roasted slowly, tended to by Logan that left so many of their mouths watering in anticipation. With the first heavenly bites of his dinner Angelo thought how strange it was a stolen loaf of stale bread had changed his families life for the better. The urge then had him rising to his feet holding his wooden cup of water in toast,

"To the Clan Guthrie and their friends for saving my family, I am in your debt!" Several joined in the toast but it was the young Cannonball who rose then walking to take his hand in his own as he lay one upon his shoulder.

"If ya words are true then Angelo Espinosa, join my crew and that debt shall be paid, your family will be welcome with mah own within the Caravan to call it as their home." Sam said, staring Angelo straight in his eyes.

Shocked Angelo looked about the camp and saw how happy his brothers and sisters were, saw relief in his mother's eyes for the first time in her life as she sat with Mama Guthrie. Returning his gaze to Sam with steel he nodded, shaking the young Cannonball's hand then.

"It would be an honour Senor!" Applauds rang out then, Kurt Wagner joining the pair then and throwing an arm about each the youths shoulders.

"Wunderbar! You start your training tomorrow Angelo, we'll make a pirate out of you yet!" Kurt said.

The night passed in a heady dance, drinks of wine and rum passed about with Josh singing bawdy ballads and shanties that had everyone dancing. Angelo's own highlight had been when Paige had pulled him to her to join together in a dance, Jubilee whooping and hollering as she flew above in a cloud of dust that lent a magic to the night.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

The days passed in an easy routine, the young Cannonball and his First Mate Wagner training their newest crewman in swordplay and fisticuffs with Remy between bouts teaching the young lad on the dirty tricks that would see him through a fight when it really mattered. The Untamed Wilds were the bastion of everything Mankind had turned it's back upon, from the Wild Call of men like Logan to the fey and dryads and the earthen magic they wielded. The further into the land the more quiet the caravan grew as if they all knew they were treading where they dare not, yet with Logan and Kurt at the lead they rambled on down the Bones of the World towards the cove that held the inheritance of the Guthrie Clan.

"Wolvie!" Jubilee cried out in a whimper looking to him with concern in her impish eyes.

"I know Darlin', I know." Kurt threw him a glance then but Logan ignored it, ignored the lapse of his pixie friend at calling him by that name.

Drawing upon his pipe he held the course down the bones, needing to thank young Josh as the lad took to playing a song upon his Lyre to rouse the quieted spirits of everyone. The sun was high above when Remy and Rogue made their way to the head of the caravan, hard loaf and jerked meat in hand for a meal between them. Of all gathered aside from Jubilee he knew these two knew enough of his tale, well enough to let him eat in silence, chewing upon it and savouring it.

"He's out there, oui?" Remy asked though Logan knew it wasn't a question as much as a statement.

Logan could only nod to the professed Bandit King as his own bones felt the Wild Call, felt a debt to be paid beckon to him.

"Yeah, he's out there." Logan said flatly chewing on his hard loaf and washing it down with a drink of water.

"Guess pipsqueak squealed?" Logan couldn't fault her, the pixie knew well of the secrets of these lands, knew the dangers, she'd been there at the beginning after all.

"She's scared Logan. Scared for you." Rogue confessed with most of her meal untouched, picking away at the jerked meat pulling it into strips before nibbling at them.

"I know Darlin, I know." Logan replied, his brow knitted in thought.

If everything he knew of the woodlands before him held true they'd be to the cove within a week, find out just what waited for them all there, yet a week was still a long time to travel through the deepest of the Untamed Wilds, the darkest places that the wildest of beasts lurked within. Drawing the last of his water from the skin he tossed it aside and threw the reigns to Remy, sitting about for so long leaving his feet itching as he jumped to the ground and kept pace.

"Gonna go for a prowl Gumbo, keep an eye on things." Dashing off into the undergrowth of the forest Logan knew the worried gazes the pair threw his way as he let the Wild Call beckon, let the Wolverine out to hunt.

"I'm gonna go find Jubilee, make sure she doesn't run off after him." Rogue said finally after the silence had hung too long, Remy giving a nod to his lady love as he watched her go.

The pixie in question lay slumbering within the doll house the youngest of the Guthrie's had loaned her, the girl smiling in adoration at the sleeping Fey even as she set dolls near her for company. Rogue couldn't help but feel her heart swell at watching the scene before her sitting next to the child and talking with her.

"Shh, she's sleeping." Smiling Rogue patted the child upon the head and remembered a time when such an affectionate touch would have been death.

"Sugah, that wee pixie could sleep through Logan' snorin' or your big brother teachin' Angelo how to use a flintlock, some girl talk ain't gonna wake her." Rogue whispered mischievously.

Watching the scene before her she couldn't help but marvel at the wee fey, so childlike at times yet willing to sacrifice so much of herself to just see others smiling again. If there was one thing the pixie Jubilee couldn't stand more than the evil beasts of the world it was someone frowning or crying.

"Did Ah ever tell you how Ah first met Logan and Jubilee?" Rogue asked of the young Guthrie, the girl looking up raptly at the prospect of a tale.

"It all started when a certain self-professed Bandit King suggested to me it'd be a good idea to steal the Eye of Magnus, only two in the world existing with the other still lost." Rogue in those days had already made a name for herself as a brigand of the highest order, her own mother the Witch Mystique having taught her every dirty trick there was to know.

"Some priestly order in Khaus held it as their sacred relic, Acolytes of the First Wizard or some such nonsense. Magnus was the first man to learn magic from the Fey, but Man's greed twisted it until the very world nearly split with the coming of the Demon Lord Apocalypse. Or so the legend goes." Rogue explained, having heard many tales of Magus and Apocalypse, but liking this one the best.

"It also said that to send the Demon Lord back to his realm Magnus tore his own eyes free of their sockets sealing his power within them, casting them off into the world to mend the tear! From then on Man knew the secret of Magic but never again like in the dark days of Magnus." Rogue mimicked grasping at her eyes, wrenching them them free.

The girl cried out in horror at the details of the tale but Rogue knew the child was feigning innocence, no Guthrie alive had ever born with a squeamish bone in their body. The other children of the Guthrie clan had gathered about now, Paige sitting at the rear of the wagon trying to look as though reading her scrolls of healing even if Rogue knew better.

"The Eye of Magnus was a relic to the priestly order, brought out on High Holiday in Khaus to show the people the truth of the Legend they said, show them the sacrifice of Magnus and the Folly of Man. Some certain Mister LeBeau convinced me it'd be easy enough to steal the night before when the order were busy with their prayers." In truth it'd been all too easy to steal, the thieves had practically walked in and picked it up like some trinket, even paying a tithe to the church as they left unnoticed.

"No one expected anyone to steal the Eye of Magnus, we found out all too well why. The Eyes were both Cursed by the Demon Lord Apocalypse, whoever stole the eye would be cursed to drain the life of man by their very naked touch of skin." Rogue did her best to sound ominous and mysterious, her voice wavering theatrically.

Wiggling her fingers menacingly at the children Rogue laughed, but she could remember all too well those long years fearing that touch that meant death. Remy had stayed by her side and found interesting ways to show his affection and care for her, yet for so long Rogue felt a pariah.

"For years we travelled, the Curse keeping me cut off from all the gentle embraces of the world. Then Ah heard something Ah'll never forget as long as Ah live." Rogue looked about the gathered children of both Clans, smiling at the memory.

Knocked to her arse as she entered a Tavern, laying in the gutters with a bruised bottom and an aching side she looked up to see the very last thing she ever thought she'd see.

"Paff! Remy had been taking me for a drink when that little pixie there felt the Evil on me. Between you all and me, there's two things you'll want to steer clear of when it comes to pixies. Don't get between them and sweets, and don't get between them and Evil!" Rogue remarked as matter of fact as she could, the kids nodding at her words.

The very street itself shook with power as the tiny pixie grew in size until she stood nearly five paces tall, a glowing sphere of pixie dust held in her hands that brought day to the dark night. Remy had tried to throw himself over her she remembered, but the Wildman Logan had pulled him free.

"She wouldn't fit in your dollhouse as she was then, everyone thinks of pixies as being small but that's only because they like it that way. Mister Logan held a certain Mister LeBeau back as Jubilee threw the biggest ball o' pixie dust Ah've ever seen her conjure, windows for blocks shattered and every drink o' spirits was lost with the crash of glass as that ball o' dust hit me." Rogue threw herself back landing against a few children, hugging them to her.

"Ah'll tell ya, if you could imagine what it's like to bath in sunlight and hugs, that's what it felt like." Smiling to the children, Rogue kissed a couple of the youngest on their heads.

Rogue had met Ororo long before, a Dryad friend of her mother odd as the pair and their friendship was. The Dryad's of legend were told to be the magical beings of the Earth, the life force of the world. But the Fey were the magic of the stars and heavens above, the dancing lights of the northern lands and the twinkling of mischief.

"Ah nearly shrieked my lungs raw when that pixie fell on me, wearin' nothing more than some leaves about her waist and a wrap of bark about her chest. Ah thought Ah'd drain her dry, but that not so wee pixie was the first person in so many years that Ah didn't kill by a touch as Ah gathered her in mah arms crying mah relief." The children looked to her with their eyes misty, all the thanks she needed for the tale she'd told.

Logan had let go of Remy by that point, the Bandit King by her side in the beat of a heart. The scene before him left him gambling as was his nature, pulling his glove free to brush with his bare hand the tears falling from his loves eyes. At the touch of his skin against hers Rogue felt a relief crash upon her that she hadn't know could exist, her arms about his chest in moments crying her thanks even as Logan carefully pulled the pixie Jubilee into his arms.

"When that wee little pixie there finally woke up she told me to keep that bad stone safe, by then Ah'd already become well acquainted with Mister Logan as it were, poor Jubes there sleeping for a month nearly as tall as Paige there." Pixies of the land had come then to take the Eye from her, take it somewhere safe that only the four of them knew.

"The Fey said Remy and Ah were marked by fate to steal the Eye, we'd find the other one when the time was right. The fight between Magnus and Apocalypse was hardly over if everything Mistress Ororo and the Fey said is true. But in truth Ah'll that Ah cared about was being able to ruffle the likes of your hair again young kiddies!" Rogue cried out as she tackled so many of the children sitting before her on the wagon, Jubilee finally waking up to see the antics of everyone before her.

Through the tale it seemed the beckon of the Wild Call had run it's course, Logan easily loping along side the wagon before pulling himself up. Of the handful that knew the truth about him Rogue held herself lucky to be one of them, watching the love shared between him and the pixie as she fluttered about him and chatted amicably. She had almost forgotten where they all were as the howl ripped through the woods with a strength of being that left most longing to cower in fear and bear their soft underbelly if only to end it quickly.

"The Forest Lord!" Jubilee cried out then, landing aside Logan standing her full five paces in the blink of an eye with pixie dust dancing about her.

The horses of the caravan whinnied in fear, hooves clattering upon the Bones as wagons bucked and rocked. From the trees dryads burst forth to calm the beasts, pixies fluttering around the air and bringing day to the gloomy darkness of the Heart of the Untamed Wild. The menfolk of the caravan stared in awe then, Kurt standing tall as he appeared to vanish in a cloud of smoke to stand at the edge of the forest with his sabres drawn.

"Forest Lord I dare you to challenge me, Kurt Wagner known to men as the Nightcrawler!" From the dark shadows of the forest a wolfish laugh echoed that chilled the blood of many, Angelo holding his blunted blade forth as he stood guard over his family then even if his eyes fell worriedly upon Paige.

"Herr Wagner put your blades away, I hunger for another." The guttural howling clawed through the ancient trees, fey fighting for purchase against the currents of the air suddenly even as the horses stood frozen in place.

The glowing red eyes were the first any could see of the Forest Lord as he stalked through the shadows to the Bones of the World, froth upon his lips as a growl greeted them from the wolf easily twice as tall as any man, its fur a golden blonde with a mane about its collar.

"Creed." Logan hissed as he fell from the caravan into a crouch, stalking towards the immense wolf.

"Runt o' the litter, you still got that sweet treat with you." Licking his lips the wolf turned to the caravan where Rogue sat, yet somehow she knew his eyes were only for the Fey that sat immobile amongst them where Logan had left her.

"Don't even think of it Bub." Logan ground out between teeth that looked more fangs than tooth suddenly, his hair thickening as his form seemed to gain a pace.

With a sickening 'shulkn' three bone spears ripped from either of his fists as he faced down the Forest Lord, the Wild Call beckoning to Logan in the moment as he fought for every scrap of humanity he'd regained.

"You've never had the stones to claim that title from me Runt, I'll get my sweet treat some other time." Creed licked his lips, loping back into the woods as trees shattered in his wake.

Stalking back to the shadowy forest the Lord vanished as quickly as he came, the Guthrie Clan staring in awe of the Wolverine before them all, a Wildman of Legend who'd lived for hundreds of years yet only now realizing who he was in truth.

"That was the Forest Lord." Sam said between gritted teeth as he held his flintlock pistol ready to fire a deadly shot into the shadowy trees.

"Yep." Logan hissed drawing in the bestial nature that clawed at his mind back in even with the Wild Call crying for blood.

"Ah never believed Papa." Sam confessed as he let the hammer gently rest before putting away his pistol.

"Believe it." Logan loved the Guthrie clan as if they were his own, knew the first Cannonball from since he'd been a boy younger than Sam was now, yet for all this he'd already lived a long life before venturing out once more into the lands of Man.

"So you and she?" Sam asked finally looking to Jubilee who sat upon the caravan with Paige, both girls hugging another.

"Yes." Logan ground through his teeth, remembered the day all too clearly when he'd first met the Fey Jubilee.

"Sorry Sir, please forget Ah asked." Whistling loudly the Guthrie clan were broken from the spell of fear that claimed them by the all too familiar call to move out.

Mama Guthrie cried orders then with Mama Espinosia joining her in gathering her own brood to help the caravan carry on upon the Bones. Angelo joined in whistling and whipping the horses gently to urge them back along the route, Kurt sitting theatrically at the lead with his sabre brandished as he swore and bellowed as only a true Pirate could. Claws sinking back into his arms Logan looked to the wagon that carried Rogue and Jubilee, felt the worry in their eyes set upon him as he pulled himself up.

"Ah could bandage ya Mister Logan sir." Paige offered, Logan waving her off as he felt the flesh knitting itself back together.

"I'm fine kiddo. Thanks though." Jubilee seemed petrified as she clutched Paige with her normally dancing wings frozen stiff.

"Jubes, Darling?" Her eyes had lost focus, lost to a past and the promise the Forest Lord had sworn in blood on that day.

Gently rubbing a thumb over her noses and pinching her cheek he left her to the care of Paige and Rogue knowing well they'd care for the scared fey. In the primeval woodlands he could still smell the stink of Creed out there stalking the caravan, knowing he would know. The sadistic game of the giant wolf had been played for hundreds of years now and he knew there was no way that old wolf was going to end it now. It was the one pleasure left to him after all this time to torment Logan and everyone the Wildman loved.

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	4. Hellfire on the High Seas

_Marvel owns the X-men, No profit is to be made from this work._

The days that followed the appearance of the Forest Lord were held in silence, the Clans going about their business in a sombre mood casting glances to the forest at the slightest snap of a twig or howl of a beast. Watches were set at night with Logan staying awake for all, accepting company as it came with Sam, Kurt and Angelo trading turns to sit with the Wildman. The scent of salt air finally roused their spirits as they knew they'd reached the very edge of the Untamed Wilds, the ocean beyond greeting the pirate clan with a welcome that a farmers hearth couldn't have been more enjoyed. Clearing the woodlands finally the caravan reached the grasslands that would lead to the coastline beyond, the hidden cove their final destination.

"Mah god it's so beautiful!" Paige cried out looking to the swaying tall grasses that lay upon the landscape, trees dotting the horizon as the Bones cut a path through the greenery.

Angelo smiled at maiden and her clear enjoyment of the scenery, too enthralled himself by everything he'd seen since leaving the city that had been the entirety of his world. Finally gifted to look beyond the cold stone walls for the first time in his life, his spirits had soared with the promise of adventure upon the High Seas and perhaps more as he looked to Paige traipsing through the tall grasses.

Casting a glance he could see the pixie Jubilee joyfully taunting the forest, faces made and rotten fruit thrown between curses that would have made the drunkards of the taverns he'd worked at blush. He knew well the vicious beast she really focussed her anger on and wondered just where she had learnt that gesture, Remy or Logan both likely he thought in the short time he'd known them. Ahead of the caravan Angelo saw his Captain sitting with the First Mate aside him, Sam with a spyglass scanning the horizon as Kurt held the reigns.

"So, what are you gonna do when we reach the Cove, chica?" Angelo asked of Paige, enjoying the blush upon her sun spotted cheeks.

"If the ship is big enough we'll all take the caravan to Westchester and start the route again." Paige said simply.

He'd been told the tales of their travels through the lands, Paige telling him for as long as she had known the caravan had wound it's way through the countryside with a regularity that always had them greeted warmly from one town to the next. The townsfolk always came out to her Mama with smiles and gifts as they sought to do business. Paige had said she'd always been kept busy with her Mistress Ororo's teachings bringing in trade for her forest remedies.

"You don't want to stay with the Caravan, eh Senorita?" Angelo asked as he helped her back up onto the wagon as it rolled down the hills.

The words looked to sting her, Angelo suddenly thinking of how she must have grown up with the tales of her father and knowing some day her oldest brother would take his place at their father's side. He couldn't imagine her taking the reins of the caravan that her mother now held, never in his life had he met a girl so smart and knowledgeable.

"As it happens Sam needs a healer, he said Jubilee can't always be around with that scatterbrain of hers. His words senorita, not mine." Angelo said then as he finished with the harness he'd been polishing, setting it down to sit aside her and pull her close.

"Sam said there's a place for you if ya want." Paige stared at Angelo in awe then, the gaze the boy held in his eyes speaking of the truth as she threw a look to her older brother and caught him quickly finding something else to look at suddenly.

"But Mama?" Pagie asked then realizing how distraught her mother would be at losing her and all the business she'd brought the caravan over the years.

"Mama Guthrie already said she has enough trouble to worry about getting the Espinosa Brood in line without worrying about her daughter running off for adventure." The pair froze to slowly turn and regard the eldest Guthrie who'd snuck up along side the wagon with a certain Bandit King in tow, both grinning at the children before them.

"Paige, honey. Ya don't think Ah was some sweet innocent when Ah met your Papa did ya?" Mama Guthrie asked then, pulling a flask from her ample bosom to take a sip before passing it off to Remy.

Silence greeted her from the pair of youths then, Remy holding his tongue even if his eyes were laughing with merriment.

"If ya want to run off with your Brother when we reach the Cove, well that's your call Daughter o' Mine, just be sure ta follow your heart and don't go regrettin' it. Oh, and make sure your brother there doesn't end up with some hussy."

Paige leapt from her seat to embrace her mother crying thanks and relief at the hard choice made for her then, Mama Guthrie holding her and cooing her love between the young woman's gasping breaths. Angelo found the flask forced to him then and took a long swallow thankful for the burn of the rum. Nodding to Remy the brigand ambled off to find his own amore.

"And you Mister Espinosa!" Angelo nearly fell off the wagon at the authority in the voice.

Not knowing whether to salute or bow he deciding to bow to the matriarch of the Clan Guthrie then as he kept his head low.

"Take care of mah Daughter ya hear, else Ah'll tan that skin and bone hide of yours for my next pair o' boots boy." Mama Guthrie threatened.

Laughing to herself Mama left the pair of youth alone, listening to Paige tell the boy that she didn't really mean that, not to anyone she liked anyways. With one last glance she saw Angelo left looking petrified.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

The Cove as it was marked upon the map wasn't what any of them would have expected, instead of being some hidden away bay lined by cliffs they found a thriving sea side town hugging the walls that guarded the bay, ships littering the crude wharfs and docks.

"It's grown." Logan confessed puffing upon his pipe with Jubilee sitting atop his head munching upon a blue berry, her cheeks stained by the juice.

"Pfft, what did you expect Wolvie, you pirates always go looking for hidey holes like this." Jubilee snorted, spitting a seed from her berry.

Recalling the cove they looked on that he'd found years ago he imagined it then as it was before everything had been built upon it, imagined sitting with Jubilee atop his head once again as he fished for his evening meal in the solitude it had offered then.

"Town like dat has to have at least a proper bar in it eh homme, what say we go find out non?" Remy said aside him as the caravan broke camp upon the cliff.

Sam stood with Mama Guthrie then and nodded to the pair, Sam pushing Angelo after them. The crackling Bamf sounded announcing the Nightcrawler. Coughing Logan waved at the cloud of smoke and found the fuzzy elf standing there looking resplendent, the ideal swashbuckler with high cuffed boots, black pants and an open chested silk shirt of purple.

"Herr Captain! We'll find your ship for you by the dawn, stand ready!" Kurt cried out, saluting smartly.

Logan had known the fuzzy elf since the Nightcrawler had been a young boy, somehow in all that time he hadn't seemed to have grown old in the soul in all the years between, ever the jovial and loving pirate quick to joust and jest at the same time. With a few tender embraces the group slowly left, Angelo and Remy offering forlorn looks to their loves while the old trio ambled off ahead with mischief held in the eyes of one pixie. The walk to the town hadn't taken long, leaving Remy to find the nearest tavern to start asking questions.

Logan loved watching his Darling in her element, currently conversing with a parrot as she fed the avian crackers and talked as if they were old friends. Magical or not all Fey were woodland creatures and knew the tongues of every animal upon sight, recalling a lengthy argument the small pixie had once had with a magpie that had pilfered her favourite yellow sun dress.

The parrot's pirate in question sat at the bar stiff limbed as he looked between Jubilee and Logan, slowly piecing together the legends told of the two until finally Logan offered up a finger to his lips and ordered the man another drink. With a nod the pirate took his first sip of the ale and looked to Logan, his silence assured with a wink of the man's sole remaining eye.

"First the Nightcrawler and then you two, anything I should know about matey?" The grizzled old pirate asked kindly of Logan before fishing for more crackers from his satchel to give to Jubilee.

The parrot danced back and forth on its feet and sang the first line of a favoured sea shanty as Jubilee broke the crackers down for it. In truth it was a cockatiel but to sully the avian companion of a pirate by calling it anything less than a parrot was fighting words, the old Pirate helpless to grin at the antics of the Fey and his friend.

"Just lookin' for a ship friend, s'all. Ain't gonna be no trouble unless it comes lookin' for us." The half truth was understood by the old pirate, trouble always came looking for the company currently found himself in, the Nightcrawler just adding to the likelihood.

"Guess I'll be makin' my way back to my bunk before the fun starts, too old for another bar fight." The pirate said, whistling for his parrots attention.

"Night cap for ya son. Sleep well." Logan ordered a bottle of rum and handed it to the grizzled old pirate and winked at him.

Logan had thought the man had smelt familiar he had sat at the bar, probably one of the countless souls that had marched along the wound and twisted road of time he himself seemed to ignore. Wondering just where it was he'd met that man and what he'd looked like then he shrugged it off. At the sharp whistle the parrot flew to the old man, Jubilee waving fondly to her newest friend as the pair managed their way through the drunken masses to vanish past the saloon doors. Jubilee had settled upon Logan's shoulder so much like the pirate familiar that Logan felt the call of the sea then, the surf upon the air all too alluring as it had been lifetimes ago.

"Well, there haven't been any explosions yet, that's got to be a good sign right?" Jubilee asked looking around the bar and seeming bored at the loss of her friend.

"When we're on the high seas again Darlin', that'll be a good sign, till then we're just chompin' at the bit." Throwing a few coins to the barkeep Logan ambled through the crowd, men bumping and jostling him as he looked for another of their party and knowing likely where he'd be.

Sure enough he found Remy at a table with several serious looking men looking less than happy at the pile of coins that sat before the Bandit King. Logan could smell the anger and hate upon the men as surely as he could smell the severe aversion to bathing they all suffered from. Keeping an eye on Remy, Logan saw the first of them leapt to his feet pointing a flintlock pistol to the man.

"Cheater! No man is that lucky!" The tattooed man yelled, easily nearing seven paces in height with a shaved head, gold for teeth and spittle on his lips.

"Homme, you de man dat dealt de cards non? You see my sleeves, no card be hiding up dem. Just lady luck love dis ol' fool and she be t'inking meabe you go find a bath?" Remy explained casually only to finish in a taunt.

Logan watched it all happen and stood his ground, the giant of a man flexing his hand as his finger pulled the trigger to his flintlock. Shattered glass broke the din of the bar as he looked to the table to find Jubilee her full five paces and looking very angry indeed, her hand upon the barrel of the pistol that sparkled with pixie dust.

"Oh homme, please tell me you did not jes do dat?" Remy asked as he leaned back in his chair knowing of the show to come.

"Paff!" Jubilee shrieked.

Magic as Logan understood it was the quick way to say you didn't like the way the world had played out and you'd have it your way instead. In this case Logan watched the giant of a man fly back with the force of the round striking him full in the chest. Jubilee sat on the table holding the spent round in her palm, toying with it before tossing it away with a dismayed look upon her face, spouting "Icky!"

Already gathering his winnings Remy waved to the other players as Jubilee sat upon the table. Her wings fluttered in agitation looking down on the fallen brute.

"I told you he was a cheater! Fey magic!" The friend of the giant cried out pointing an accusing finger at Jubilee then.

"Pfft, as if! Like I'd waste pixie dust on a card game." Jubilee said with an indignant snort.

Grinning to himself Logan watched as Jubilee picked up the cards and shuffled them with all the skill Remy had taught her dealing out a fresh game of poker.

"Tell ya what, I win, you forget all this happened and mister Lucky there buys you all a celebratory drink at the bar. You win, I paff Gigantor over there back upon his feet so his ship doesn't have to go recruit the new crew meat head, deal?" Jubilee said with mischief in her sapphire eyes.

Reluctantly the remaining Pirates nodded before sitting down to the table with Jubilee atop it, the men looking to their hands. As the cards were laid up the men did a perfect impression of statues not giving away a single stray emotion though Logan could smell their elation. With the river they nodded laying their hands down, Jubilee looking glumly at her own hand as a cloud of pixie dust erupted with her shrinking to her usual diminutive size.

"Okay okay, you won, one Paff coming up!" Jubilee moaned, standing up and cracking her fingers.

Jubilee held her hands together as dust gathered between them and glowed as a ball, the wee Fey raising them over her head before finally throwing it at the unconscious man with her familiar cry, Paff! The high pitched crash sounded then with all the patrons of the bar watching over their drink amazed as the dust fell over the man's form and faded, the gigantic man rising dizzily to his feet only to glare at Remy anew.

"Cheater!" The giant man yelled again.

The compatriots of the man raced to him then and tackled him to the floor, Logan watching as the most senior amongst them had sharp words with him. Reluctantly the man rose with his peers to nod to the Fey before offering a hand to Remy with a mumbled apology.

"No hard feelings homme, now get out of here before I be t'inking otherwise." Remy said, ambling towards the exit.

Leaving the bar with pointed glares the trio emerged to the crowd that milled upon the walkways and carved paths of the seaside town. The tang of salt hung in the air with the multitude of cries from shops and vendors, in just as many tongues. Logan looked on ahead knowing a truth as Jubilee landed lightly on his shoulder.

"So?" Logan remarked while ambling on with his Darling.

"So." Jubilee returned looking grumpy as Remy stood aside them quietly.

"You dealt them a winning hand right?" Jubilee looked even grumpier, folding her arms across her chest with her wings fluttering.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." Remy caught the older man's eyes and grinned, both knowing the Bandit King had taught the wee Fey every trick it came to hustling a game when you needed to.

"Don't ever change Darlin'." Logan said ruffling the tiny pixies hair with a finger, a dismayed cry upon the air as her hands fought to restore her favoured style to its rightful poise.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

When you lived as long as Kurt had there were truths of the world to be known, the foremost amongst them was that nothing in life was ever easy. He'd spent the better part of the day trading upon his name alone as he sought information for the ship his late Captain had said was waiting here for Sam, the man's dying breath swearing a ship would be here for the young Cannonball. In desperation he'd finally called upon the very last man he'd ever hoped to see again, the scoundrel Corsair. With the exception of very few Kurt knew the man better than anyone and that knowledge did little for having to deal with the sharp minded Pirate.

"Nightcrawler, my friend, what brings you to my little town!" Arms clutching about his chest Kurt felt his tail twitch agitated to and fro as he fought against vanishing in a cloud of smoke and the crackling Bamf that had well become the namesake of his bloodlines magic.

"Christopher." Kurt said flatly catching the change in the man's demeanor as the arms fell free of him.

"Kurt." Corsair was a namesake as much as his own Nightcrawler, the Pirates favourite class of ship forever his name thereafter.

"You know what I'm looking for Herr Summers, I swore to him I'd find it. If anyone knows where it is it would be you!" Kurt implored.

Christopher Summers looked torn for a moment, pain in his eyes at the mention of a debt from a father to a son With a hand over his eyes he drew a shaky breath that left Kurt feeling remorse for his roughshod treatment of the pirate.

"My Apologies Corsair." Kurt said with a flourish and a bow, tipping his hand to the peer.

The man seemed to gain a modest decorum of composure then, throwing a friendly hand upon Kurt's shoulder as he spun the Nightcrawler to face the harbour.

"Aye, I know what you look for Kurt but the boy has to come and claim it for himself, that's the rules. Rally the Clan Guthrie and I'll have the town put out their best for them, pay honours to the fallen as only The Cove can." Despite himself Kurt had to grin at the bravado and theatrics of the man before him even as he wondered just at what game was being played.

"Very well Corsair, I'll visit my Captain and tell him the Clan's presence is requested for parlay." In one crackling Bamf Corsair stood alone upon the balcony of his home waving away the smoke.

Looking to the ridge above the Cove he saw the silhouette of the Nightcrawler there brandishing a blade in salute before vanishing again. With a pained smile upon his lips Corsair rang a bell to summon a crewman to spread the word, the Funeral of the Cannonball would finally be at hand. The guests of honour had finally arrived.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"Mama you're choking me!" Sam cried out as his mother struggled with her son to make sure every bit of his Captain's uniform was in order, handed down by her late husband years before knowing the day would one day come.

Aside him he watched his sister dressed in a gown that left her ethereal, woven of silk from distant lands the same as her blonde furls. Their Papa had brought it home for her knowing too that however he protested the notion she'd grow to a beautiful young lady.

"If ya think Ah'm lettin' my first born go out to greet Corsair dressed shabbily then Ah might have to take ya over my knee to remind ya boy who the real Head of the House is!" Resigned to his fate he stood there as his mother nitpicked his uniform until she finally was satisfied, the blade of the late Jean Luc the final touch as it was sheathed reverently at his side.

His father had been notorious for secrets Sam knew, his mother more than on one occasion crying shock at gifts and gestures that left her speechless. Yet the Cove had to have been amongst the largest secret the old pirate ever kept, Kurt himself sworn upon a blood oath to not tell of the Pirate Town's existence even the Clan Guthrie while the old man still drew breath.

Walking amongst his family he smiled to his siblings that bowed or curtseyed to him as he passed, the Brood of the Espinosa's doing their best to emulate the regard that warmed his soul knowing they'd be a good fit for his family. Ahead of him Kurt stood in his full honours, the twin blades slung over his back that bore a legend of their own nearly as infamous as the Nightcrawler himself. Beside him Angelo stood dressed in a uniform handed down from Sam, the boy a good fit who tried his best to both appear respectful as he struggled with his nerves.

The sun was setting upon the Cove and Sam watched in awe as torches were lit then along the trail that would lead into the Pirate Town, already distant music upon the night breeze that left his eyes misting. With trembling hands he gripped the reins of the head wagon and gave a snap and a whistle, the horses easily loping off to a canter that would have them to the Cove in a short time. Looking to the wagons behind him he saw his First Mate sitting with a determined expression upon his face. Angelo sitting aside him did his best not to let his lingering gaze stray to too long on Paige, simply angelic in the gown despite a sadness within her blue eyes. Life was a funny game Sam remembered his father saying years before upon a fishing trip, so very true now wondering of everything about to befall them as the Cove finally came into sight.

The crack of cannon fire greeted them as the Cove's own battlements fired off honorary rounds to the fallen, uncounted ships in the harbour joining in at the sight of the Clan Guthrie's caravan. The Crossed Sabres was the fastest ship in the High Seas that carried the most cannons as any ship could, nations about the world fearing the day the Crest was raised aside the Jolly Rogers. Even with his eyes threatening to spill forth Sam felt pride at the legacy of his father then, gripping the twice serving First Mate upon his shoulder and offering a thanks to the man.

The tri fingered salute Kurt offered nearly broke Sam's resolve as he remembered seeing uncounted times the Elf had done so to his father, drawing a deep breath to steel his nerves as the caravan finally rode into the Cove proper amongst a Pirate's honour. With the crack of his reins Sam brought his horses to a halt before the lord of the Cove, the retired pirate Corsair and his crew the Starjammers, all legends in the time before his father had ever been called the Cannonball. Leaping from the caravan Sam crossed the distance to the man quickly and threw out a hand that was gripped by the old Pirate resolutely.

"We've been waiting Lad." Corsair said with a sadness in the old man's eyes that wandered over the Cove lovingly.

"Many have been waiting." Corsair added, guiding Sam to the edge of the wharf before the inky black harbour and held him there with a firm grip on his shoulder.

"Brace yourself boy and see the Renown of your Pappy." Corsair said finally.

Upon the horizon he could see the dark clouds that raced in with a vengeance, lightning crackling as thunder rolled. The sea became turbulent with white capped waves crashing against the Cove. Sam felt a moment of fear but the reassuring Bamf of his First Mate stilled it, the tri fingered hand closing upon his shoulder as tightly as Corsair's.

"Fear nothing you see Lad, stand tall and proud to your departed Daddy as a final friend to him shows his respect." Sam looked to the men he stood with, steeled himself and looked onwards with his resolve cast.

From the very depths of the bay before them a shadow prowled as thunder crashed closer with every beat of the young Captain's heart. In awe Sam watched as the prow of a ship broke the turbulent waves with a final flash of lightning, thunder calling instantaneously. Silence fell over the town as the very last ship any ever thought to see again broke the waves and sat within the Cove. The Crossed Sabres itself looked as deadly as ever with its cannon ports open, a deafening crash heard as all guns fired at once.

"So long as a Cannonball born true lives the Crossed Sabres will never rest upon the depths of my Seas!" The voice cried out full of thunder and the crash of waves upon cliffs.

Legends told of the King of the Seas paled as they looked upon the mighty visage of Namor himself at the helm of the risen ship. The trio of men vanished in cloud of smoke, appearing upon the helm of the Crossed Sabres a heartbeat later with Corsair and Kurt both bowing. Sam stood frozen before the Atlantean speechless as the King of the Seas strode towards him.

"So much like your father Sam, be true to him." The hand upon his shoulder held the promise calm seas the next day without knowing why, Sam looking up to the King of the Seas struggling to find something to say, anything until finally the words spilled forth. "Thank you Sir!"

Guided to the deck Sam walked amongst royalty, his resolve finally breaking as he found the shrouded form laying wrapped in the very Flag of the Crossed Sabres itself knowing then that it was his fallen father.

"The Clan Guthrie and their friends deserve peace with him, in the end though he is mine as much as you yourself someday will be. Give him the proper honours and a burial at sea when the time is right." Leaping from the deck the King of the Seas vanished under the waves to return to his realm, the Cove frozen in awe of the miracle before them all.

The crack of gunfire was heard again, Sam looking to the town battlements and the ships about the Cove to see the smoke that hung in the air. In that moment he felt a power fill him that he hardly could imagine nor understand. Riding the wave then only to feel the plea that beckoned to him he gave his answer with a yell that tore from his lungs in reply, a namesake he held in pride. "Cannonball!"

The crash of his guns report washed upon the Cove with all guns firing into the night in a deafening clash of thunder. Somewhere he knew his father stood as proudly over him as Kurt and Corsair did now. He stood there on his father's ship risen from the depths by the very King of the Seas himself. Making berth with the Cove upon the wharf reserved for the Starjammer's own ship Sam stood solemnly as his family boarded then to pay their respects to their fallen father.

The Cove itself sang the songs of the honoured dead amass, bagpipes and fiddles joining the chorus while those without voice or talent simply joined the beat of the dirge stomping their feet against the wooden planks of the jetties. That night the Clan Guthrie joined it's rightful place in the Legend's of the Sea with their patron Cannonball laid to rest in honours by his family and friends, returned to the Atlantean as a whirlpool swallowed the fallen Pirate to his final rest. Yet no Pirate could hold a sad eye for long, Mama Guthrie the first to cry for Rum as the pipes quieted, a raucous cry answering the matronly woman then as the mood shifted to the celebration of a new Captain of that infamous ship.

The festivities lasted through the night and to the dawn, the town flowing with rum and ale that Corsair truly must have paid a King's Ransom for. Time and again Sam found himself in the arms of another beauty, smiling at them all with the rakish grin that left them heed to his bidding. Even Rogue herself offered him a chaste peck upon his cheek before throwing him to the latest maiden that dared dance with the Captain of the Crossed Sabres.

His sister danced with Angelo alone, the virtuous Guthrie declining invitation of every Pirate the Cove had to offer including Corsair himself much to the old pirates chagrin. Lost to the sight Sam spun to look to whom his latest partner was and nearly gasped to see the wee Fey before him standing her full five paces dressed in shimmering golden silk with her hair glistening as dark the waves upon a moonless night.

"Sam!" Jubilee cried joyfully as she spun with him twirling the hem of her dress as it climbed up upon her bare legs revealing more with every pirouette.

Shocked, Sam felt relief as she finally paused with a dizzy look to her eyes that was all too familiar, thankful for the small blessings then.

"Jubilee, enjoying yourself are we?" Sam asked throwing cautious looks to the crowd for the Wildman that never strayed far from the pixie, noticing him finally talking with Corsair, the two smoking their pipes over pints.

"Logan gave me wine!" Jubilee looked flushed if the blush upon her cheeks were any indication yet Sam felt his own blood run cold at the thought, the Fey was a handful enough off the sweet treats she always enjoyed and yet Logan had given her wine he wondered aghast.

"Dance with me Sam, you danced with all those other girls!" Jubilee pouted, Sam obliging her.

The aforementioned 'girls' as it were had been quickly hustled off with a single glare from Mama Guthrie as each had plied their blessings upon the new Captain. Yet now with a glance to his Mama he saw the matronly woman simply grinning at him as if she were a cat who had just supped upon the proverbial canary. Gulping his resolve Sam joined with the pixie in her dance, never having thought of the Fey in a womanly way before until he finally lay eyes upon her now.

He wondered was this truly the mischievous pixie who he'd known from his earliest memories, the seemingly ageless family friend as much as Logan or Kurt? Dancing in tune to the songs played Sam struggled to keep up with the energetic Jubilee as his knees grew weak, from the dance or the company he couldn't say if asked.

"Missus Jubilee, could Ah get you a drink?" Sam asked finally with his own throat parched, the Fey spinning one last time as she let him go towards the impromptu buffet.

With his head still spinning he found Remy and Rogue both there with goblets of wine in hand, both brigands chatting with another until he nearly fell next to them.

"So Logan really gave de p'tite pixie wine, Merde, Remy be scared Chere." Rogue playfully swatted her beau as she offered the dizzy Guthrie a hand.

"Mister LeBeau, could you cut in please." Sam cried out holding the table as he felt the world spin anew.

Remy looked about to protest until Rogue pushed him with the surprising strength she seemed to possess, moments later the joyful cry of the pixie heard upon the dance floor as the thief accepted his fate, "Remy!"

Sam looked to his friend and at the same time he felt relief for himself he felt sorrow for Remy,

"Missus Rogue, Ah do believe Ah owe you my life." Laughing the pair toasted their drinks together and watched the spectacle of Jubilee tiring out the Bandit King upon the dance floor as the pirates of the Cove watched in amusement.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Angelo Espinosa was hung over, that was to say he had for the first time in his life enjoyed enough bounty of the tavern to finally achieve the fabled state of drunkenness that one oft paid the price in the morrow. Sitting up the world spun and he decided that in future he might have to pace himself with his eyes struggling to fight against the vertigo he currently fell prey to. His mouth felt as if he'd chewed upon the washcloth of the innumerable taverns he'd worked at, his head revolting against the abuse with a throbbing headache that had him crawling to the door of the small room he'd found himself in. The world shifted then as he did his best to hold his stomach as it sought to mutiny, laying upon all fours on the floor outside his room breathing deeply to calm his belly.

At the end of the hallway he found stairs and slowly crawled upon them until finally horrid daylight blinded him as his headache seared his mind, his eyes squinted so tight they might as well be closed as he stumbled upon the deck. Realization struck Angelo as he struggled to hold his place as the world shifted again, realizing that he was on a deck and that it was the deck of a ship. It wasn't the world that was shifting, it was the Ship he found himself on and recalled the vague hazy memories of the night before.

His hangover and headache alike ignored Angelo threw his eyes open as a spray of the sea washed against his face, marvelling then at the cry of gulls overhead and the already distant shores to the aft of the ship.

"I'm a sea!" Angelo cried out looking to the Guthrie's who worked with familiar ease upon the Ship offering the grey skinned boy a friendly smile.

He was at sea and hungover Angelo thought again as he raced to the side of the ship and hung his head overboard, relief coming minutes after his stomach wretched in protest to the abuse the night prior. Struggling to his feet he looked over the ship and was amazed at the ease of routine everyone had fallen into then, Kurt at the helm steering the ship with a fang toothed grin upon his lips. Struggling along the deck with every crash of wave he finally found his way to the First Mate and did his best salute then,

"Angelo Espinosa reporting for duty Sir!" Angelo cried for Kurt to offer a kind smile before beckoning him over.

"Take the helm boy, hold the wheel tight as she'll fight you!" Kurt said in a friendly tone.

Angelo nearly fell to the deck against the pull of the wheel then as the ship bucked, finding strength he didn't know he had as he righted the helm under the barked orders of the Nightcrawler.

"I'm piloting a ship!" Angelo cried out as he realized just what it was he was in truth doing, following the orders of Kurt as the First Mate called corrections again and again.

"I told you we'd make a pirate out of you yet Mister Espinosa!" Kurt bellowed, standing easily behind him as the ship swayed.

In the time Angelo had known the First Mate he knew Herr was an honour to be called, Mister a privilege while Boy as he was so familiar with was the call of the fresh meat. Pride swelled in his chest at the honour the Elf had placed upon him as his arms burned to hold the mighty wheel of the helm at course, amazed at how tiring it was even as he felt vitalized by the responsibility thrust upon him.

High above in the Crow's Nest Sam watched the scene below with his sister aside him, both marvelling at being at sea upon their Pappy's ship as they took turns with the old spyglass their father had gifted between them.

"How long until Westchester?" Paige asked scanning the shorelines of the Untamed Wilds.

"Would have been a nearly two weeks by wagon, we'll make it in less than a week if the winds be fair." Sam watched his little sister in adoration knowing how torn she'd been her whole life always worrying about being left behind to the Caravan.

Below him he saw the youth who someday might yet make an officer on his ship as Angelo struggled at the wheel. Sam could think back all too easily to the day his own father had let him know the strength the ship held as he was left to fight with the wheel himself. Within himself he could still feel the call of the Cannons, the power those muzzles held that now were at his beck and call. It was the power his own Pappy had turned into his namesake with the numerous guns the ship held.

The Atlantean had gifted upon him some bit of magic that left him dizzy, wondered if this was anything like the power Jubilee or Logan had at their call to be used rightly despite the heady rush it promised. Somewhere below decks the Wildman faced the wrath of a hung over pixie and Sam couldn't help but chuckle at the image. That night prior Jubilee had danced with every friend who'd taken her hand and left them haggard by the end, laughter and magic lent to the evening until she finally tuckered herself out and shrunk again to her tiny size.

"Can Ah meet the Professor?" Paige asked of Sam then breaking his reverie.

They were headed to the Kingdom of Westchester and the Professor was a name nearly as mystical as Magnus, a wizard of renown who offered guidance and gifts to that court alone that had been ruled in the stead by the Knight Errant Scott Summers, no less than the cast off son of Corsair himself rumours told.

"If'in he'll see you Sister o' mine of course you have my blessing." Paige was gifted Sam knew, best friends with the Fey Jubilee and pupil and apprentice to Mistress Ororo.

Somehow he knew she might well surpass any renown he himself might claim at sea if she only found the right teacher for that gift of hers, swearing to do everything in his power to ensure that fate. For now though she was still his little sister and as it were it was his turn for the spyglass of their father. Snatching it from her he ignored her cries and suffered her pummelling him with her fists, laughing as he scanned the distant horizon.

No shipping lanes travelled the Untamed Wilds, only the pirate vessels and other lawless craft that found refuge in the legend of the woodlands. Calm seas spread before him with his sails full of the wind at his back, knowing well the gift the Atlantean had bestowed upon his family then. Ruffling Paige's hair he handed her the spyglass again and rose to rigging, climbing over the Crows Nest to meet his crew at the helm.

"Captain on deck!" Kurt cried out as he stood to attention, Angelo nearly doing the same until the ship bucked as the wheel spun against the youths lapse.

The laughter of the Nightcrawler broke the spell Angelo had been under while their Captain stood staring at them with a grin etched upon his lips.

"Easy matey, at least on this fine ship you won't be seein' no military barking going on." Sam echoed the words of his father before him on the day Kurt had pulled the same prank on him.

Angelo looked relieved after having set the ship back on it's course, surely a natural Helmsman Sam thought looking to the scrawny boy.

"How's it feel to have the fastest ship upon the seas under your control Mister Espinosa?" Sam asked of Angelo then, fighting not to call him boy.

"It's amazing Senor Guthrie Sir!" Angelo answered quickly.

Grinning, Sam realized it was time to put the lad through the paces he'd need to know come the day an unfriendly ship was sighted. Looking down to his family that manned the rigging and mopped the deck he saw them looking knowingly to him.

"Clan Guthrie, battle postings! Herr Wagner, Mister Espinosa is yours!" The Clan broke from the deck with only Mama Guthrie and the eldest boys staying on deck to man the rigging, the rest climbing below deck as if they were under a real attack.

Standing behind Angelo the blue furred Elf gripped the wheel and helped the boy gain a feeling for the power of the ship and the manoeuvres for hours, cannon fire blasting at the call of Sam to lend the reality of a battle at sea that would come all too soon for the most recent crew of the Crossed Sabres.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Logan sat at the table in the crew mess playing cards with the Bandit King Remy LeBeau, the pair having anted up a small pile of coins between them as they looked to another trying to guess the hand the other held. While Remy dressed as he always did with high laced boots, black trousers that hugged his hips and a open chested shirt that he knew the ladies loved, on this day he saw Logan dressed far different from the Wildman he'd known for years.

Now Logan was dressed in a short sleeved shirt left unbuttoned for his toned chest to stand on show, dungarees and bare feet below the tattered cuffs while lastly upon his perfectly good eye he wore a patch over it. Even his customary pipe didn't grace his lips, instead a hand rolled cigarette hung smoldering slowly as the older man regarded him.

"There something I should know homme?" Remy asked at the final round of bidding, throwing down a full gold coin against the pile of silver with a hard gaze bearing into the other man.

"Just gettin' into character Gumbo." Logan said throwing a gold coin his own and rapping his knuckles against the table.

Remy hated playing cards with Logan, the man always could smell a con he mused as he threw his cards down. Logan threw his own hand down then and bore a steely gaze at Remy, the Bandit King still winning out as he gave a holler.

"Merde, de lady luck, she just loves me non?" Pulling in the pile of coins Remy added it to his purse while Logan stubbed out the end of his cigarette before flicking it into the nearby wash pail.

They'd been at sea for days now with the Untamed Wilds a distant memory, Westchester their next port of call within another handful of days as Sam told them. Upon the hammock behind them Remy saw Rogue sitting with Jubilee and a young girl of the Clan Guthrie, both braiding the pixies hair after the fey had grudgingly burst to her full height to make it easier for them.

Even Jubilee was dressed differently Remy noticed, gone the forest trappings of the pixie who now wore a yellow sun dress with a braided leather belt about her waist upon which a tiny dagger sat sheathed. Fingerless gloves with brass studs upon the knuckles graced her delicate hands while upon her usually bare feet she wore sandals that tied about her calves. Looking back to Logan a thought struck him that left him shocked, realisation of another mystery of his long lived friend having finally answered itself.

"You're Patch homme?" The grin Logan offered him was all the answer he needed as he spun to look to Jubilee, the Pixie another namesake of the high seas he realized then.

"You're that Pixie?" Jubilee nodded with mischief in her eyes at the old game played between her and Logan.

Patch and the Pixie were tales told over pints for as long as there had been pirates as far as Remy knew, the stout brawler wielding brass knuckles upon his fists was the most feared man anyone could face in a boarding party, his pixie companion the queen of cheap shots darting to and fro to kick, punch or bite a man into submission.

"Well, well, well. T'ings be more interesting den dis ol' t'ief thought eh Roguey?" Raising his mug in toast he nodded to his love then.

"What, you just figured this out ya idjit? Mama Mystique told me about them years ago." Despite the affectionate tone Rogue spoke of her Mama there was a sadness in her eyes that Remy caught all too well, rising from his place at the table to place a gentle kiss upon her brow.

"Roguey love, one of dese days we got to get you talking about de tales dat Witch Mama o' yours told you, as nasty as dat woman can be she raised you right woman." Remy said, Rogue throwing him a saucy wink.

Her braids finished Jubilee spun to tickle the young Guthrie before a burst of pixie dust erupted as she flickered to her favoured size in the blink of an eye. Flitting to the side of Logan Remy looked upon the legendary pair and saw another facet of them then, Patch and the Pixie both looking every bit the characters told in tales.

With the ship lurching once more Rogue heaved a breath and looked to Remy finding the man doing his best to find his sea legs, the training of the young Helmsman doing little to help the trial for the Bandit King.

"Ah'm not haulin' another bucket over the deck for you swamp rat. Ya can go run up the stairs if'in you're gonna be sick." Rogue hissed.

Remy looking apologetic as he started to make his way to the stairs, stopping at the clanging of a brass bell with another lurch of the ship. Logan leapt to his feet with Jubilee alight in that moment as they rushed past the nauseated thief.

"Dat not be a good bell is it Roguey?" Remy asked with a struggle to quiet his stomach.

Rogue felt her blood run cold then having only been at sea once with her Mama Mystique and having heard that very same bell ring, only a young girl back when the first Cannonball recklessly rode the High Seas.

"Find your legs Remy, that ain't no bell ya wanna hear." Rogue called, falling from the hammock to help him to his feet.

Together the pair raced up to the deck to find it deserted other than Mama Guthrie and the eldest of the Guthrie boys, Paige vanishing below deck with Mama Espinosa and the youngest children. At the helm a grim Kurt barked orders to a stricken Angelo, Logan and Jubilee already at the side of Sam as they looked to the horizon and the tall ship making way for their own.

"She's sailing the flag of Hellfire! Herr Wagner, stand ready and bring us aside!" Sam roared with his voice full of the promise of thunder as the young Captain stood upon the prow his ship, spyglass held tracking the intruder.

"Hellfire Chere, as in dat Hellfire, Sebastian Shaw?" Sea sickness forgotten Remy strode the deck with Rogue at his side to meet the Captain of the Crossed Sabres.

A life spent in dangerous situations had taught Remy to read the mood of a moment as none before him could, right know feeling the anger and hatred Sam bore for the ship before them holding the spyglass with knuckles gone white.

"Mister LeBeau, Missus Rogue, if'in you could be as kind to help with the boardin' party Ah'd be mighty gracious." Sam asked, holding his father's spyglass to his eye to look to the enemy ship.

Remy felt about to ask more when the touch of Rogue's hand upon his shoulder stilled his questions, guided off to the helm of the ship.

"Since when did de Black King of Hellfire get a Navy?" Remy finally asked, Rogue looking sad while Kurt bridled with rage.

"Around the time they sunk the Crossed Sabres." Rogue confessed having wiled the truth from Kurt, Remy taken aback by the revelation as the Elf nodded.

"Three ships against one and we sent all but that one to the depths!" Kurt roared as he unsheathed a blade to point at the horizon.

Somehow Remy knew that this time the fight would surely be different as the very wind seemed to favour them, the sails surging with strength that left Angelo swearing as he struggled with the wheel. The ships closed the distance between one another quickly, the Hellfire ship dwarfing the Crossed Sabres as it hung low in the waves, black as ash with cannon ports opened. All along the vessel men raced about and readied for the battle to come. Kurt had waited for this moment since his Captain had given that order that was so painful to follow to abandon ship.

The crash of cannon fire was the signal Kurt needed as he vanished in a cloud of sulphurous smoke with the crackling Bamf. The magic of his bloodline gave him preternatural speed in these rare moments as he appeared next to the very first of the unleashed cannonballs, palming it before the Bamf sounded again suddenly finding himself opposite of the enemy ship as he let the cannonball carry on. Vanishing again as he struggled to reach all of the rest of the volley with his body aching at the strain as he pushed himself. In the stead of those cannonballs only clouds of smoke remained between the Crossed Sabres and the Hellfire, those aboard both ships watching in awe. Palming the last cannonball before letting it sail upon it's new course Kurt appeared back upon the Crossed Sabres landing in a pile of limbs to enjoy the show as the Hellfire ship rocked with her own cannon fire blasting her decks amongst horrified screams.

"Kurt!" Sam yelled as he raced to his First Mate skidding to his knees to embrace the Elf.

"Herr Captain, I don't believe they'll risk their cannons again Sir!" Somehow the furred elf found the strength to smile, Sam returning the gesture as he looked to the group of men and women behind him and knowing the burden his father before him had bore.

"Boarding Party! Send these bilge rats to the Depths!" Sam yelled with anger filling him.

Jubilee was gone in a flash, the scrappy pixie eager for a fight it seemed as Logan and the others easily climbed the ropes to swing across to the enemy ship. Landing in a crouch Logan launched himself at the very first of the sailors with his trusty brass knuckles sending the poor soul reeling as he plowed through them. The bite of blade against his flesh was ignored as he wound a path littered with fallen men.

The flintlock pistol fired with a flash of black powder erupting from its muzzle, it's lead shot biting into Logan's flesh as some old memory stirred from the murky depths of his mind then, the old pirate Patch clawing to the surface at catching a heady whiff of black powder upon the sea mist.

"You sea dogs think you can parlay with Patch do ya, well lets just see about that matey!" Patch bellowed then as he struck his fist against the jaw of the unlucky sailor nearest him.

"Damnable Pixie where be ya at!" Patch barked out scanning above the crowd of sailors who swarmed the deck, finally spotting the darting cloud of pixie dust and the cries of pain heard in it's wake.

"Good girl, Darling, Good girl." Patch laughed to himself watching the petite pixie cartwheel a kick at some unlucky salt, blinking to her full size for a moment as her foot connected with the man's chin before vanishing in a cloud of dust as the sailor fell to the deck.

Remy and Rogue stood back to back with their blades drawn, both grinning despite the odds against them as they worked their way through the crowd looking to the lower decks where all the interesting things where found. Rogue felt herself come alive as she slashed at the sailor before her, kicking him away with a boot to his chest as another took his stead. Crying warning to her beau as she noticed a man with flintlock rifle aimed at the pair. Relief came as she found her warning for naught at the characteristic Bamf then, the Nightcrawler appearing behind the man only for the pair to vanish again.

"Nevermind Lover o' mine! Lets go see what they got in their strong boxes shall we?" Rogue called.

If there had been any bad influence upon her Rogue couldn't confess who to blame, her own Mama or her Beau. Regardless, with the clatter and slashing swipes of their blades the pair finally found one another below deck as Remy finished throwing the beam over the door to bar any from following after them.

"This reminds me of that time in de Duchy of York chere." Remy said with a nuzzle of his nose against her neck.

"Which time? The time we stole the family jewels or the time we saved that ransomed daughter?" Rogue asked letting herself purr at his tender touch.

Travelling with Remy had left many memorable moments in her young life Rogue realized as she planted a kiss upon his lips, the heat of the moment driving her on until finally each pulled away gasping for breath.

"Suddenly Chere dis t'ief can't confess to remember which time it was, be t'inking if we live through dis one it'll be getting added to de list." Chuckling to another they started down the stairs with Rogue spinning the ring of keys she'd stolen from one of the officers on deck, thinking perhaps they might come in handy.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Jubilee was having fun, and fun for a pixie was about as much reason for doing something as drawing breath. Two men stood to her side, each wielding their blades with dark intent as she stood there between them with her fist to one and her tiny dagger to another. She'd been caught at her full five paces after kicking some mean man in his family crest as Remy always called it, wondering who of the pair would be the first to act.

"You two do like totally know that two on one ain't fair!" Jubilee cried out as she saw either man lunge forth ready to run her through.

Vanishing in a clatter of broken glass pixie dust hung in the void she'd formerly filled, instantly shrunk down to the size of a field mouse as both men ran another through with a shocked look etched upon their faces. Even as they fell the dust settled upon them healing their wounds to the healthy side of a mortal lest they otherwise expire.

"Works every time." Jubilee chuckled as she raced on overhead looking about the scene, seeing her Patch in his finest form sending men reeling from blows or simply running in terror as the legend spread through their ranks.

Darting to the crows nest she found a goblin sitting up there with a stash of cannonballs working away at a flint and steel struggling to light a fuse. Anger rose in the wee Fey's chest at the sight of the dark creature, diving at it with a scream on her lips.

"Evil!" Jubilee shrieked, kicking the beast from the next as she instantly grew.

Had the goblin been awake to realize he had finally found spark he might have thought better of his placement of the fused balls that littered the nest, instead he sailed into the depths after being kicked by a very mad Jubilee. The explosion stilled the battle for a moment as Kurt and the ship Captain both paused their duel to look at the splintered crows nest.

"Damnable Goblin!" The Captain of the Hellfire Ship snarled angrily as he turned his gaze back to the fuzzy Elf.

"Never send a goblin to do a man's job." He finished in a bellowing cry to swipe at the air and hold his arm behind his back resuming his stance.

"That's the least of your problems, Boy!" Kurt yelled with his twin sabres held ready, a feral grin upon his lips with his tail flickering in excitement.

Of this duel only one would draw breath the next morrow both knew as the Captain lunged with his blade, kicking at the elf as their steel met.

"So it's that kind of fight Captain?" Kurt asked easily dodging the kick.

Leaping from the deck to strike his own boot at the man's jaw in reply Kurt slashed at the man and watching as the wounded Captain fell back along the deck with a bloody cross drawn upon his chest.

"I am Kurt Wagner the Nightcrawler, you killed my Captain, prepare to die!" Kurt savoured the hatred in the Captain's eyes then, knowing he had little more to say.

Twin blades flashed as the Nightcrawler advanced towards the beleaguered Captain who was left struggling to parry and block the blows, losing ground as he was forced back along the deck to slam his back into the railing. Their blades held before the pair both men looked to another wondering whose strength or resolve would first falter.

"Did you know these are shark infested waters Captain?" The Nightcrawler asked of the Hellfire commander who only paled then, his eyes flickering past the deck to the depths below at the shadowy silhouettes stalking the waves.

The surge of strength from the Captain sent Kurt falling back with his twin blades drawn and ready, a fanged grin greeting his opponent. The duel was renewed with intense vigour as the Captain fought for his very life, his sword sparking against the swords of Kurt who spun to parry a blow before flipping back onto the railing as the Captain threw a kick in an attempt to send the man sprawling. With a glance to the battle below Kurt let a resigned sigh escape, easily disarming the blade of the Captain then as he stalked towards the shocked man.

"A rousing duel Captain but alas I am needed elsewhere, goodbye." With a tri fingered hand falling upon his brow the Captain found himself elsewhere, the last noise he heard before his own scream was the telltale Bamf.

Falling below the waves bloodied and beaten the words of the Nightcrawler returned to the Captain of the Hellfire then, the knowledge that these were shark infested waters that now knew the scent of blood upon them. From the deck Kurt stood and savoured the scream that ended all too quickly. Turning his back to the fate of the villain who'd killed his dearest friend he picked up the fallen man's sword and sheathed it with a sharp click.

"A worthy trophy indeed." Kurt said before vanishing.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"You heard that didn't you, I told you he'd come for us!" Tabitha roared in triumph dancing about as best as she could with her hands shackled and legs in chains.

James regarded his friend with grim silence wanting to believe but finding no will after the loss of their ship and Captain. The Painted Lady Domino looked between the pair and threw off her own shackles with a dismissive gesture, James and Tabitha looking at her incredulous.

"You mean this whole time you weren't even locked up!" Tabitha screamed wishing she could reach the woman to kick her.

"Just my luck." Domino replied with a hint of a grin.

From the shadowy depths of the cell they had been locked away in for weeks they saw the red glow of eyes in the darkness beyond and worried over what might be lurking there. The only light they'd had for the long weeks had been the sputtering lantern that burned with a weak flame, shadows dancing with every gust of wind.

"Domino, do something!" Tabitha cried out struggling with her shackles as the red glowing eyes grew closer, Domino simply sitting upon the wooden bunk rubbing her wrists.

"Well sunovagun!" Tabitha knew that voice from anywhere in that moment, the red glowing eyes given form as the rakish grin of one Remy LeBeau fell upon them with the brigand Rogue in tow.

"Rogue!" Tabitha would have cried if it hadn't been for Domino, the Painted Lady always quick to heckle her she found.

"Boom Boom?" Rogue asked looking in wonder to the trio in the cell, Tabitha knowing in this moment she'd never outgrow that nickname for having once accidentally lit fire to a barrel of gunpowder not once but twice in the same day.

Of all the thieves and brigands to find on the other side of a cell door Tabitha and her friends couldn't have hoped for a finer pair than these, Remy already working at the lock with a bored look as the click of the lock echoed moments later, the door to the cell easily swinging open.

"I heard him, I heard the First Mate! He came to save us!" Tabitha swore as the pair worked upon the shackles and leg chains of the still imprisoned girl and deadly swordssman.

"Sugah, we thought you were dead. Ah'm sure as heck glad we were wrong, is it just you three?" Rogue confessed in that moment as Tabitha hugged her, the younger woman both heartbroken at the truth and nodding that they were all that were left of the crew of the Crossed Sabres.

"They wanted a trophy for the Black King they said. But we heard them saying that the Crossed Sabres was sighted still at sea and that they'd go back to finish the job. But, but we saw her sink!" Rogue and Remy both threw another a look that hinted at the events that had taken place, Rogue drawing Tabitha up as Remy helped James to his feet.

"That's a long story girl, best told over drinks and some good food Ah'm sure ya'll could use. Lets get ya outta here." Rogue said, taking Tabitha into her arms and stroking her hair.

The group travelled in silence as they wound their way through the decks, countless crew laying unconscious with the cannons silenced in the wake of the pair of renowned rogues. Finally finding their way to the deck an unnatural silence greeted the group who looked in awe at the multitude of men laying beaten and battered with a casual looking Logan wearing his trademark eyepatch while smoking a hand rolled cigarette. Atop his head a wee pixie sat eating a sliver of sugarcane merrily.

"Patch and the Pixie, it can't be!" James said looking to the pair then recalling the stories told of them.

"S'fuzzy Elf kicking around here too Bub." Logan said casually with the thrill of the fight long over, Patch the Pirate lurking below the depths of his mind once more much as a shark below the waves sought prey.

With the cloud of brimstone and the characteristic Bamf the Nightcrawler appeared before the crew he thought dead and threw his arms about the trio, the gesture returned as Tabitha still swore she knew he'd come for them.

"Kurt, we thought you were dead!" Tabitha cried, how close he had been Kurt realized and once again thankful to the Guthrie Clan and everything he owed them.

"Another time Boom Boom, another time. Lets go home." The trio held firmly to the elf as they all vanished then, Logan and Jubilee looking to another amused.

Already Rogue and Remy had vanished, both likely knowing just what they were up to. Looking about the ship and it's beaten crew Logan looked back to the Crossed Sabres.

"Guess we got to find our own way back Darling." Logan asked of Jubilee who just stuck her tongue out at Logan knowing well she could fly.

"Fastball special?" Logan asked of her, Jubilee looking slightly miffed.

"S'not a Fastball Special without Piotr silly." Jubilee retorted, biting her last morsel of sugarcane and savouring it with a moan.

Chuckling Logan found a plank and barrel, the crude catapult aimed to the Crossed Sabres as he stood on one end.

"All ready Darling." Logan called.

Jubilee flew above with her tiny dagger in hand to cut the rigging, the tattered sail left to tumble down upon the plank as the Wildman was sent soaring through the air to cross the span with a holler that she could swear held a hint of enjoyment.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-


	5. Onward and Interludes

_Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work._

Sam stood at the helm of the Crossed Sabres watching the battle through his father's spyglass with Angelo at the ships wheel. The sails had been lowered and the anchor dropped, the ships cannon ports lay open menacingly with the guns silent, the boarding crew making quick work of the enemy ship. The hollers and cries of men carried between the ships, the clash and clatter of steel mingled with the belching bursts of pistols firing in flashes of black powder. Clenching his jaw tightly Sam watched it all and felt the fire in his belly burn hotly at the denial of his desire to join the fray.

"I don't hear anything Captain." Angelo said , his knuckles white as they clutched the great wheel.

Sam threw a companionable hand upon his crewman's shoulder, both watching anxiously. The blast of the explosion shocked both as they watched the main mast shatter raining splinters, rigging and sails spilling in an eruption of panicked cries. Spyglass raised anew Sam caught sight of battered and beaten crew racing in fear from the wildman Logan only to be hassled and harried by a sparkling sprite that could only be Jubilee. Passing the glass off to Angelo, Sam walked off to the lower decks feeling his families eyes on him as he retreated to his Father's chambers. Closing the door behind he walked about and felt his Father's ghost in every ornament and heirloom.

"How did ya bear it Papa, sending your friends off to fight?" Sam asked aloud as he stood before the desk, remembering the commanding presence of his father.

The chair looked just as large and imposing as he remembered it all the years before as he slowly rounded the desk. Crafted of oak with supple leather it looked as regal as the royalty it'd been pilfered from. Sitting down he left a breath loose only then realizing he'd been holding his, surveying the quarters that were now his complete with all the weighty responsibilities. Opening a drawer he found the maps just where he knew they'd be, drawing one at random. Every last of them had been personalized he found, warnings and tips on them all.

Well into the depths of the seas he'd one day sail the quiet of the room broke with the familiar 'bamf', the Nightcrawler standing triumphant with the very last people Sam thought he'd ever see again. All stood there looking ragged and tired yet shock and elation spread to them as they stared about the familiar office. Boom Boom, Warpath and Domino, Sam knew them all as well as his own family, had served with them at the rare voyages at sea years before. Sam was at his feet and out from the desk as they noticed him, Boom Boom closing the distance to throw her arms about him with tear-filled eyes.

"So it is true, the Cannonball is dead. But his Ship and Son will serve him as well in death, come here boy." Warpath said in a rumbling voice as he threw his arms about both Sam and Tabitha, easily hefting them both from the floor with his hug.

Kurt and Domino stood apart from the group watching the reunion sharing a knowing look. With a touch to his shoulder Domino excused herself, stalking off silently looking for the rest of the Guthrie clan. Coughing to catch the attention of the trio before him Kurt gave a fanged grin as he pulled free the trophy of the battle fought. Unsheathing the blade he gave a flourish before taking the blade in hand and offering the hilt to Sam.

"The blade of their Captain, the man who commanded the assault and the man who now lies in the bellies of the sharks that infest these waters Herr Captain." Kurt said as Sam took the blade.

Sam gently pulled himself free of his Father's crew to feel the weight of the blade giving practised slashes and swipes, listened to the quality of the steel as he set it ringing with strong flicks of his fingers. All were lessons Kurt had taught him, the elf a master swordsman, sure enough the craftsmanship was impressive. Sheathing the blade he lay it upon the desk then reached a hand for Kurt's own, a strong shake given between them.

"Papa would be proud of ya, proud of y'all. Lets go find the rest of the clan and have a drink, then we'll figure just what ta do with the ship." Sam said leading the way to the deck.

Domino had found her way to Mama Guthrie who chatted away, the matriarch of the Epinosa Clan with both as the introductions seemed to ramble on. The youngest of both clans swarmed Rogue as she dolled out trinkets from the chests and sacks of gold that Remy and Angelo worked to pull up from a pilfered long boat. Logan glared about completely drenched at the side of the deck with a laughing Jubilee darting just out of his reach as he grumbled.

"Paige what happened ta Logan?" Sam realized so much had happened in the short span of his retreat that he could only trust his sister to fill him in.

"Well, Remy and Rogue of course looted the hold after freeing Tabs, Warpath and Domino. Stole one of their boats to haul it all back. When Kurt bamfed over Logan had to find his own way back and had Jubes try a fastball special but she missed the ship." Paige recounted counting off on her fingers.

"Missed? I know my wee darlin' can hit the broad side of a boat, she sent me overboard!" Logan grumbled as he stalked off to greet them all, James staring at the man in awe unusual for the stoic warrior.

"Pfft, you needed a bath anyway, stinky and bloody after a fight!" Jubilee groused in retort, diving down to Logan and throwing a raspberry at him before darting off.

Kurt and Sam burst out laughing at the sight, Paige racing off to find a towel for the stout wildman as he tore out of his soaked clothing down to his dunagrees. James watched the exchange until finally he could take no more.

"You mean your Father wasn't lying when he said he knew Patch and the Pixie?" James stared at Kurt and Sam who simply looked to another with their grins growing broader.

"Ya thought Papa was fibbing? What about when he said he was Cabin Boy to Corsair?" Sam asked honestly.

"Ja, and don't forget he swore fealty to Namor, oh and swore to protect the Eye of Magnus for Rogue and Remy." Kurt added recounting just some of the adventures of the Senior Cannonball.

"Not all of it, but tales of Patch and the Pixie go off for ages, older than some Kingdoms! That pixie looks no more than a child, and even Wizards and Mages die of old age, he looks younger than your Mama!" James protested looking at the pair, Mama Guthrie throwing him a sour look as she stole her way through the crowd.

"My husband never told a lie or tall tale to crew or friend in his life James, so you can take all o' our word that those two are the genuine article. Now get to helping Remy with the booty before I take it in my mind to tan your hide!" Mama Guthrie cried out, harrying the Warpath off.

Sam looked about the ship and felt the weight shrugged from his shoulders as his Family and crew carry on without order or advice. Walking to the rail of his ship he stared at the listless ship that had dared open gun ports against his family, the very ship that had killed his father and so many of his crew. He felt the fire in his belly and knew it was the gift of Namor then, the beck and call of the cannons in the depths of his ship. He could see the enemy crew rousing from their stupor and fear as they surveyed the damage, could see them fearfully watch the Crossed Sabres. Yet as angry at them and hateful of them he was Sam knew another held the true honour of his vehemence, the Black King of Hellfire.

"Mister Epinosa, pull anchor. Any and all able get to the rigging and raise sails. Let the unworthy lot of them limp back to their bastard King and relay what happened here this day, their Captain is dead by the hand of Herr Wagner, their loot stolen by Remy and Rogue. They're beaten and broke and have to tell their King tales of Ghost Ships and Patch and the Pixie, whatever else we could do to them would be a relief compared to what Shaw will do. Set sail for Westchester!" Sam bellowed with all the authority he found was coming easier every time he fell into his inheritance and the trust he shared with everyone.

-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-

_-Interlude-_

Kitty Pryde tried to remember the series of unfortunate accidents and events that had lead her to her current predicament, all centred around the most foolish of all in trusting that brigand and drunkard on the night when her life had seemed to change. The town had grown too hard to live in since that night at the tavern when she'd recounted being saved by the wildman, pixie and dryad. Even her Gram had listened to her story only out of love. Stubborn a girl as she was she swore then to prove to them all and find the trio and bring them back to show she wasn't a liar or just a daft girl.

It was on her second night out in the woods shivering under her blanket with the stars above that she heard the rustling in the woods. Of the few belongings she'd brought with her she hastily grabbed her cast iron skillet and raised it in threat trying to draw herself as tall as she could. Wolves and cougars were known to prowl the woods, bandits a plenty and even the rare goblin. As the silhouette broke the brush she swung the skillet down and heard a cry not of any the nightmare beasts she imagined but a irritating yet familiar voice crying out in pain, swearing the whole time as he fell to the ground.

"Ya daft girl, I come all the way out here and wot do you do, ya hit me with your kitchenware! I've half a mind to turn about and leave you to it." Pete cried out in alarm and pain.

"What are you doing sneaking up on me in the middle of the night anyway Pete! I could have killed you I was so scared!" Kitty freely admitted her fear yet could never dare admit the relief at having even his usually unwelcome presence about.

"Dammit woman, I need a drink. Wot, you don't even have a fire going? Don't tell me you were just lying in the dirt shivering?" Pete hissed as he climbed to his feet and inspected the 'campsite' and finding it little more than a rucksack and some branches piled on the earth with a blanket.

For as much as Kitty roamed the countryside looking for herbs and everything her Gram needed, she knew little of roughing it, even making a fire at home was a challenge for her. With her arms crossed and shoulders set she held her tongue watching as Pete vanished into the woods only to return moments later with an armful of wood. Watching the ease he had with fire building she swallowing her pride. Drawing closer to him Kitty watch intently as he set about building the tinder and kindling into a small stack.

"Wot, you actually want to learn this?" Pete asked of her noticing just how close Kitty had suddenly grown, marvelling at the steel in her eyes at his bluntness.

"Fine then, next town we hit you can go and buy one of these. Keep it close to you at all times. It's a fire steel. You go and find a nice piece of flint or just some good rock, ya hold onto that too once ya get a good one till it wears out. The rest is easy." Pete started out the lesson on fire building recounting all the best tinder from moss to bark.

Soon enough a blazing fire crackled away that night, it had been the first night Kitty recalled ever seeing anything more than the drunkard thief she usually found in the bars looking for the girls of the town whose morals were questionable to down right completely lacking.

"That's what I get for trusting a thief." Kitty grumbled coming back from the reverie.

It'd been well over a fortnight since she'd left town and Pete had been with her every step of the way. They'd found their way into a small town on the outskirts of her knowledge of the world to look for leads in her search. Pete had treated them to a night at the local inn sharing a room as he swore he'd either take the floor if he couldn't find another bed to share that night. She'd left him at the bar to go off to explore the town for any tales of woodland fey and wildmen when it'd finally occurred to her how nervous the townsfolk looked, how little they chatted amongst another, always seeming to stare at her only to turn away as she looked back.

Only as the men in hooded robes came at her did Kitty realize the mistake she'd made in going alone. The men lunged for her as Kitty tried to dive free, screaming for help from the townsfolk who raced off inside behind clattering doors and closed shutters. Pulled to her feet by the largest she remembered the foul taste of the gag that silenced her protests as they hauled her off to a cart. They'd ridden out of the town for nearly an hour and soon enough she found herself led to the outside of a cave with bones strewn outside of it. A lone timber had been driven into the earth with iron shackles hanging from it.

Left alone shackled to the timber the robed men stood before the cave with sweet herbs burning in bundles as one read from some large leather bound tome in what she supposed was meant to be a reverent voice. Somewhere along the verses Kitty distinctly recalled the words that sent shivers down her spine, virgin sacrifice and dragon. Tugging at the chains for all her worth she cursed and screamed having worked the gag free, swearing she'd kill them if she could just get free. The bestial roar froze her in her struggles as she stared at the mouth of the cave, the robed men racing off just as she longed to.

"Pete Wisdom! If I live through this I swear to whichever god is listening that I am going to beat you senseless!" Kitty swore as she struggled again with renewed vigour, the sound of heavy breathing growing louder in the cave.

"Oy! That's some way to thank your dashing knight!" The voice could only be his Kitty knew, throwing her head about frantically looking for him.

The sound of a fight broke out from behind the rocks, men crying and screaming with the head of one poking out from his cover as he clawed away only to be drug back. Kitty couldn't believe the sight then as Pete strode out with a swagger to his step as he dusted off his hands. He was at her side in short order inspecting the shackles and the locks on them.

"You didn't get the key?" Kitty asked incredulously trying to stare at him over her shoulder.

"They didn't have it, the last one awake said they forgot it at home and I didn't find anything in their robes other than hairy legs and anything a girl like you would want to see." Pete said.

"Well hurry up and pick it, there's a dragon in there!" Kitty cried turning her gaze back to the mouth of the cave and noticing how much closer the beast sounded.

"Wot's a dragon want with you? Kinda stringy looking if ya ask me, now Martha from home, that's a girl with some meat on her bones if ya know what I mean." Pete remarked as he dug through his pockets.

"I'm a virgin sacrifice!" Kitty screamed turning her anger back on Pete.

"Oh? That all, well I can fix that in a few minutes." Pete said with the shackles ignored as he climbed to his feet to stand before her.

"Don't you dare touch me Pete Wisdom! Pick the damn locks, what kind of thief are you!" Kitty hissed as she glared him down.

"I'm more of a highway man m'self, I don't really do locks. Know a really good locksmith back home I throw that kinda business, too bad he's not here as he'd have you out in no time. Now are we going to work on this whole virgin problem or wot? I don't know about you but I think I'd rather have a shag than get eaten by a picky dragon." Pete casually remarked as he admired Kitty's figure, suddenly finding her to be a lot less stringy than he first gave her credit for.

Kitty stood transfixed as the shadow of the dragon crawled along the walls of the cave then, Pete joining her in staring at the mouth of the cave. For long moments all either heard was the heavy breathing and odd belch of flame. As the shadow grew it's largest Kitty wondered if she should have taken up Pete on his offer, wondered if it'd actually save her. Feeling a scream rise in her throat she choked on it as a dragon no larger than a cat crawled out from behind a rock at last to glare and growl at them with puffs of smoke rising from his nostrils.

"Wot, that's the dragon?" Pete asked laughing loudly as he pointed to it, his toe finding a large branch as he kicked it up into the air to snatch it.

"One dragon stew coming right up. C'mere ya little bugger." Pete added as he stalked off to the dragon brandishing the branch.

The dragon snarled and growled as Pete walked up, Kitty couldn't believe she'd been so scared of the thing. She felt sorry for it as she watched it leap from rock to rock easily dodging the swings of the brigand. The thing was actually cute she realized wondering just how dangerous it could be. Pete had finally worked it into a corner raising his branch overhead for one final swing. The dragon stared up suddenly looking less afraid and more angry, it's maw opening wide with a stream of fire and sulfurous flame bursting free to alighte the branch. Kitty yelped in surprise as Pete lowered his branch to stare at it, ash and soot falling onto his face as it fell apart with a gentle breeze.

"I think I need a bigger branch." Pete said staring dumbly at the stump.

The dragon ignored the highway man snaking it's way up to Kitty holding her gaze in his yellow eyes. Kitty stared back at the little beast and found the purple of his scales hypnotic as it danced about her feet, sniffing her and cooing. Walking around behind her she saw it look to the shackles and snort, drawing a sharp breath in before spitting out two tight tiny bursts that easily broke them finally freeing her. Staring at her freed hands Kitty ran her a finger over her wrists and relished the cool air upon them offering the dragon a smile.

"Thank you little guy, you're just a little darling aren't you?" Kitty asked as she knelt before the dragon, scratching behind his wings and earning more cooing.

As Pete stormed back he stared at the pair in utter shock, pointing from Kitty to the dragon with his mouth agape. "He tried to eat you!" Pete screamed.

"He did no such thing! I bet most of these bones are just from cows, it was the idiots in robes that tried to sacrifice me to him!" Kitty retorted as she climbed to her feet with the dragon in her arms, the all too intelligent eyes of the dragon watching Pete in mistrust.

"It's like my daddy always said, women are daft. Fine, you bring your little pet along and we'll be back on our way looking for your feyfolk, maybe next time at a tavern you can tell them how I tried to save you from a dragon too so long as you don't tell them he's the dragon!" Pete grumbled stalking off with Kitty in tow.

Hours later the trio of robed men awoke to the thrashing they'd suffered, staring shocked at finding the post empty. Accusations flew from one to another, eyes jabbed and skulls thumped as they argued amongst themselves. So occupied by their argument none of them noticed as a shadow grew on the cave wall again, the scent of sulfur in the air mingled with soot and ash. As the smallest of them froze in place only then did the other two turn to join him in abject fear, a dragon of legend and lore staring down upon them with hungry eyes. The screams were short and silenced quickly as the birds of the forest took flight into a sky painted by the setting sun.

-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-


	6. The Professor

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

They sailed in full honours, every lass and maiden of the Clans Guthrie and Espinosa wearing their best, all adorned in the gold and jewels stolen from the Hellfire. The Crossed Sabres sailed with a veritable armada in their wake, everything from fishing skiff to barge trailing along as the majestic ship as it made port. Sam had battled hard, but the swats from his mother and threats she uttered had him relent, wearing the uniform fit for his place as Captain, once his father's before him. The first crew of those days watched in amusement, Tabitha the most appreciative of them all.

Pirates they may be, but the tides of battle had been turned time and again when the rogue ship had come to the aid of the Kingdom, the only safe harbour in the world for the ship. Remy and Rogue lounged in a hammock watching the procession dressed as they always were, stylish and saucy but ready for action. By the mast Logan sat on a stool whittling away a pipe, Jubilee sitting on his head playing a game of cats cradle with a golden thread. Aside them Paige sat reading through another scroll, the rare times she struggled with a word of magic Jubilee would poke her head down to pronounce it with the ease only a Fey or Elf could.

The mood of the ship was full of anxiety and relief, the journey over but just beginning the same. Sam would need look for new crew for his ship as his mother would need to start the route she'd wound through the lands with the Caravan anew. Of the rest, only fate would decide their path.

"Jubilee, ya really know the Professor?" Paige asked again, looking over her dress worried.

"Pfft, please. Met him ages ago! Wolvie, what was Westchester called back then?" Jubilee poked her head over the brow of Logan holding tight to his hair.

"Don't call me that here Darlin', and it was called a farm. Might as well tell 'er just how odd Chuck is." Logan grumbled as he notched a hole in his pipe for the bowl.

"Why me! It hurts my head to try and explain it." Jubilee whined, falling off his head to dangle in front of his face, Logan blowing at her as one might an errant hair.

"Quit stallin'. You said you'd talk to Chuck about trainin' her, told Sam the same. Ya made your bed, sleep in it." Logan grumbled, shaking his head and knocking the wee fey free in a cloud of pixie dust that made him sneeze.

Paige looked up to Jubilee with her blue eyes full of questions, the Professor an enigma at best, a myth to most. Jubilee stared stubbornly to her, fluttering her wings in a flurry of pixie dust with her arms crossed about her chest. After long moments the stare down bore it's victor, Jubilee whining loudly to land in Paige's lap pouting.

"Paige! Can I have some honey please, I don't think good on an empty stomach." Jubilee looked up with her eyes hopeful and glossy with unspent tears working every charm she could.

"Only if you promise to tell me." Paige looked to her friend holding out a pinky to her, Jubilee pressing her petite one to it in oath.

Sated on the drop of honey Paige fed her Jubilee walked about the pirate maidens lap in thought, talking to herself in the tongue of the Fey until finally she seemed to work out the tale herself. Turning to Paige she sat down, her wings fluttering anxiously.

"The Professor moves backwards! Yep! Your tomorrow is his yesterday, but more like when he dies it's like that. So when ya meet him, ya can't ask him what you'll do tomorrow, but he could have told me ages ago when he'd already died. Course he only does that for big important stuff to make sure it'd happen." Jubilee explained, Paige looking to her curiously.

"Wait...isn't he ageless?" Paige asked, looking throughly confused.

"Nope! A bunch of people are, until their moment comes of course. Met a bunch of them too...err I mean. Oh goddess, wait, no bad. Ignore the pixie!" Jubilee vanished in a cloud of pixie dust turning invisible.

As Paige looked to Logan she realized something had been said that it seemed Jubilee shouldn't have, the Wildman sniffing the air and throwing an angry glare to a particular patch of sky.

"Jubes, Darlin'. If Chuck takes her on she's bound to find out, might as well tell her." Logan rumbled, Jubilee appearing again in a tinkling cloud.

Sheepishly Jubilee fluttered down to the pair, settling down on Logan's head in her familiar perch. Braiding a few of his hairs she mumbled to herself, Logan ignoring her as he worked away whittling his pipe. Paige sat before the pair waiting patiently for the rest of the explanation, wondering at what tale had been hinted at.

"Okay! You ask Chuck about that, not me, nu uh, no pouting eyes or sad lip quiver. I invented those! He's as mortal as you, but he just gets born again. Weird huh, not the kinda momma pappa born, just a baby where it needs to be. Oh goddess I just remembered changing his diapers that one time I, me, moi, got stuck with raising him with Wol...I mean Logan." Jubilee rambled on, lost in a memory for a moment.

Paige sat frozen at the revelation, her mouth agape in a mixture of shock and awe. Jubilee fluttered up and poked her in the nose, bringing her back to the moment she couldn't believe nor comprehend.

"Wait...what...how?" Paige asked in complete confusion.

"Yep! Makes my head hurt, told ya! Bye!" Jubilee giggled, vanishing in a cloud of pixie dust.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Scott Summers stood at the wharf watching the pirate ship sail to it's berth, sailors tying off the ropes that would hold her steady. His court stood around him watching the fanfare afforded to the renowned ship, the gangplank raised as the Clan Guthrie disembarked, more numerous than he recalled looking to all the youth and children that raced about staring to the city that stood behind him. He remembered his first time seeing Westchester for himself and recalled his own awe, just a boy then in the accompany of a hermit, once blind now able to see through the cursed vision of the Cyclops. Little had he known his fate then, little had he known the true nature of the Hermit.

Looking to the boy next to him Scott threw a companionable hand to his shoulder, gripping it tightly in reassurance to hold him steady against his fears. He'd raised him as his own, raised him just as he himself had been before by the Hermit. Beholden to honour the Truth, to stand for Justice, and to forever protect the weak. Smiling down to him Scott ruffled the boys hair as he felt the weight of destiny press down on them all knowing the truth now.

"You're about to meet some old friends, stand up tall." Scott barked, grateful for the boy doing as asked.

"Are they friends of yours Scott?" The boy asked looking to the latest to disembark, a man and a woman dressed in leather and silk, swords and daggers dotting their persons.

"Some are yours, others are mine. They'll know you when they see you, even if they haven't seen you for sometime. Don't slouch, chest out. One day these words will come back to you, when they do please forgive me all these years." Scott said ruffling the boys hair again, pulling his head to his chest for a long moment as he struggled against tears.

Scott saw them then, he'd been there at their births only a boy himself when told of their importance, sworn to pledge his oath to help them when the time came. Samuel was a fine man dressed fitting to his place as a Captain now, his sister a beautiful maiden whose destiny had just been tread on now, the innocent Paige. Hardly surprising he saw Jubilee with her flitting around and chatting, the stoic Logan standing next to the pair. With the Knights of the realm at their side the group was escorted up, horns calling in the distance with all the pomp and ceremony the moment called for.

"Still got that stick up your arse, Scott?" Logan asked giving a hand in offer, Scott taking it with a wry grin.

"Just where you left it Logan, some company you're keeping these days, pirates and thieves. You really are a bad influence on her." Scott said with a nod to Jubilee who flitted about the crowd.

Still gripping his hand Scott watched as Logan sniff the air once, look to the boy next to him and with knowing eyes raised brow. Scott could only nod in answer to the unspoken question, the Wildman looking to Jubilee with sad eyes. With a grim set to his jaw Scott watched the scene play out, an ache in his heart having dreaded this moment for years.

"Jubilation!" Logan barked, the companionable mood shattered at the utterance, Remy and Rogue looking to him in question.

Jubilee darted back to Logan to kick him in the nose and glare for daring to use that name, her anger fading as she looked into his grey eyes. Jubilee spun to look to Scott, the man just shaking his head in answer to her questioning eyes. Spying the boy no more than fifteen Jubilee looked at him, flitting closer as he took a step towards her with his curiosity getting the better of him. Jubilee did a somersault once, pointing a finger to him and then looking up to Scott.

"Oh goddess! He's walking!" Jubilee squealed, bursting to her full five paces in an explosion of dust to tackle the boy in a hug.

Speaking in Fey Jubilee rambled on, the rest standing about in shock and awe, Remy and Rogue looking to Logan for answers while Paige just gaped with Sam next to her looking just confused. Kurt behind them looked knowingly to Logan, the rest of the Guthrie and Espinosa clans doing their best to hold their tongues to the curious introduction.

"Scott, who is she?" The boy asked standing stiff in the embrace of Jubilee.

"Charles, I'd like to introduce you to Jubilee, Jubilee...I'd like to introduce you to my son, Charles Francis Xavier." Scott said slowly, noticing as the pixie froze.

"He...doesn't remember?" Jubilee asked, looking from Charles to Scott, the Knight Errant shaking his head sadly.

"No, he's caught up to himself after all these years, he swore me not to tell. Saying I'm sorry feels so hollow, but please believe me when I say that I am, so very, very sorry." Scott looked to the tears that came to her, saw both Kurt and Logan fight against their own.

"But, but that means?" Jubilee looked to the boy in her arms, burying her face against him as she hugged him harder refusing to cry.

"He left behind letters for each of you, Herr Wagner, Logan, and of course you Jubilee. For many more when the time comes. He only told me he'd be in safe hands this last time. I really should have known, he always loved leaving hints when he could. Come, I've a feast prepared, we can talk more about it there." Scott beckoned them on, carriages waiting for them all with banners flying along the road to the castle.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Remy sat with Logan and Scott, the feast a sombre event for many. Looking to the children of the combined Clans he had to smile, Paige and Angelo talking in hushed tones as she guided the youth through his first Royal Feast, talking of protocol and courtesy undoubtedly as she explained all the cutlery that confused him. Sipping his wine Remy looked across the table to where Rogue sat in the company of several Ladies, admiring her and the dress gifted upon her by Scott. The man had good taste he thought, in wine and women it seemed, wondering just when he'd finally find a lady love himself.

Jubilee was the quietest he'd ever seen her, sitting across from the young Charles, dressed as well as Rogue with her hair teased and pampered by the Ladies of the Court who'd stolen her away and fawned over her as soon as the carriages had arrived. Not quite sad he realized, she just looking so very thoughtful, catching her stealing glances of Charles time and again, once even sticking her tongue out at the boy having been caught when their eyes met. Next to her Kurt was busy recounting tales to the Captain of the Guard, Bishop.

"Never had a chance to meet de Professor, he'd already left by de time I found my way here. Why was de p'tite so surprised at seeing him walking?" Remy asked, Logan he saw looking to Scott.

"Charles for as long as anyone has ever known him has been a cripple, from birth to death. All he ever said of it was that it was a curse, through all his lifetimes he never once hinted at who levied it upon him. That he can walk now tells us a prophecy of the future, worrying as it is." Scott explained, staring Remy down with the red glow of the Cyclops eye hidden behind his ruby and quartz laden eye patch.

Remy finished his wine looking between both Logan and Scott, very much two faces of the same coin if he'd ever seen. Pulling just a coin from his purse he rolled it over his knuckles intrigued. No self respecting thief hadn't heard of the relationship between the Knight Errant of Westchester and the legendary Corsair, out of all those tales though Remy couldn't find any to bear a single grain of truth, a rare chance now sitting before him knowing how well Logan knew the Pirate King.

"So, how did you two meet hmm?" Remy reached across to pour another glass, pressing it to his lips and savouring the first sip.

Logan looked to Scott, Scott looking chagrined at the grin Logan wore. Remy had seen that grin, knew it to mean no good to anyone who had reason to dread it. Knowing a truth best kept secret by Scott was about to come out in another tale of the Wildman's long life, so many secrets seemingly kept between him and Jubilee. Leaning back in his chair Remy grinned, knowing words worth their weight in gold were about to be spoke.

"Had to keep an eye on this runt when he was still poopin' his pants. Jubes got to play nursemaid, we had to take him to Chuck to be raised." Logan said, Scott gritting his teeth as he reached for a bottle of port and pouring a generous glass.

"Wait, de p'tite...and you...and she be de nursemaid? She didn't? Did she?" Remy asked looking to Scott and then back to Jubilee.

"Nah, had a goat to play Wet nurse." Logan chuckled, pouring a glass of port himself.

Remy had to laugh at the picture of the Knight Errant of Westchester being fed at the teat of a nannie as a babe, something so absurd he knew no one would ever believe it were he to tell it himself. But the truth was enough to explain the legendary hatred of the son for his father, having been cast off to be raised by another even if that man was the Professor himself. Ever the gambler, Remy knew when to quit while ahead. Raising his glass in toast to the two he took a look to the boy down the table and saw the concern shared between them all.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"You knew me?" Charles asked looking to the Fey maiden across from him with a blush upon his cheeks.

Jubilee looked to him, huffed once more and toyed with her salad picking away at it and grumbling away in the Fey tongue. Charles looked to his own meal, nearly untouched with his appetite leaving him at all the questions that raced through his mind, all the mysterious and suggestive words of his father again coming back to him. The one truth he'd been told was that he stood before a great destiny to be fulfilled, a chance to become a great man, to become the Professor should he so choose.

Looking to the people about him, some he recognized from stories and tales he'd grown up with, he knew the choice had been made long before this day, longing to come to know them as well as they had known that man he swore he'd become. He longed to call them friends, starting with the girl across from him.

"Knew the Professor, you look like him kinda, you got hair though. The Professor never had hair, bald as a baby from birth. Can you Paff? I showed the Professor how to Paff." Jubilee looked to Charles with mischief in her eyes.

"What's a Paff?" Charles asked, confused as he watched Jubilee hold out her hand across the table.

One thing he'd realized since first meeting the Fey was that there was always dust about her, sparkling and swaying to the flit and flutter of her wings. Even sitting at the table the dust touched everything, looking to melt like the morning frost as it vanished after a time. Looking to her hand he saw the dust swirl and gather in her palm as a ball of light and magic slowly formed. Holding it tenderly she raised it over her head, speaking her own particular word of magic as she let it fly into the vaulted ceiling, exploding in dazzling light as she cried aloud that word aloud, Paff.

The court looked up surprised, clapping at the theatrics with the children of the Clans cheering and calling for more. Jubilee looked to Charles to reach across the table to take his hand in her own, holding it softly and tracing her fingers over the many lines that lay in his palm.

"For human's it's different. You don't have pixie dust, ya have to find your own magic. Humans like lines, take a stick and bend it and ya have a bow. Stack a bunch of rocks along one ya got a wall. Walking along one is the quickest way somewhere so ya make roads. Human magic uses the Ley Lines, all these little lines on your hand tell how good ya can use them." Jubilee explained to look up as Charles took her hand in his own, turning hers over to look at it.

Charles traced the lines he found there, so similar yet different in a way he couldn't explain. Jubilee blushed, her eyes cast down to watch his gentle touch and trailing fingers.

"You have lines, does that mean you can use Human magic too?" Charles asked with his eyes full of curiosity, comparing his hand to hers.

"Charles." Scott called out from the table, the warning tone of the man's voice all that need be said.

Charles looked to Jubilee and realized he'd said something he shouldn't have by the way her eyes looked sullen then. Feeling ashamed he closed her hand and held it tenderly.

"I'm sorry." Charles apologized still holding her hand and rubbing her knuckles with his thumb, thankful when she nodded to him with a meek smile.

"Here, hold your hand like this, like you're holding a ball. Look to your lines, reach out with your mind and find more, find the Ley Lines. Picture a ball of magic like I made, hold tight to it when you get it and then make a wish for what you want." Jubilee said with her voice finding strength, taking his hand in her own and seeing Charles look beyond the hall as his eyes lost focus.

It came slow at first, the banquet hall quiet with only the crackling of torches breaking the silence. At first a dot of light slowly grew, nothing like the kind of Magic Jubilee had used, not a twisted rainbow full of dust and warmth. The light was cold as Charles's breath fogging before him, the light itself held the sharpness of the sun in winter, painful to look at. It grew as he focussed on it until finally it encompassed his clawed hand, glowing bright and bringing daylight to the dark hall. Sweat beaded upon his brow as Jubilee smiled at him to help him raise his hand aloft as she'd done before.

"You can't just let it go, you have to push it, to throw it really. Toss it up like I did, imagine it flying free. When it's nice and high you make your wish." Jubilee explained, Charles nodding as he felt the exertion and felt the ball of light feel so weighty that he just wanted to let it go so he could just rest.

Taking a breath Charles looked to his raised hand and looked to the delicate hands that held his. Everyone sat frozen about him, even the dust swirling about Jubilee looked to hang in the air. He felt a moment of panic fearing something had gone wrong, the flickering flames of the candles and torches standing still. The world had gone grey he noticed, only the light of the ball he held bearing blue and golden light sparkling from it. He struggled against it, seeing the azure sky of a winter day in it and feeling it painfully cold and sharp. The tinkling of crystal shattering sounded, Jubilee suddenly bursting to life with all the vibrant colours that danced around her.

"You forgot to make a wish." Jubilee said leaning across the table to look into his eyes to see the fear in them.

"What do I wish for?" Charles asked, his breathing growing laboured with the ball of light growing heavier in every passing second.

"Whatever you want silly, that's what's magic is about, real magic. What makes ya happy, what you want, just remember to always use it for good stuff, help people with it. Now go on and make a wish!" Jubilee smiled with Charles listening to the words with rapt attention, knowing then just what he wanted to wish for.

Leaning across the table he acted on that wish, pressing his lips to hers in a chaste kiss and feeling something in his heart stir. The weight of the ball suddenly grew as light as a feather as he forced it to fly free. It erupted into the vaulted ceiling in a dazzling fount of flower petals, all the colours of a springtime meadow falling on the feast as the world returned to normal for him. Charles looked to Jubilee and saw the shock writ upon her face, then feeling his stomach twist in pain fearing he'd acted wrong.

The court cried out in amazement, cheers called amid cries for wine and port. Charles could only look to Jubilee and stare into her sapphire eyes as she sat there looking at him with accusation in her eyes.

"You, you!" Jubilee sputtered.

Charles hadn't even realized he'd done it until too late, he'd let his heart guide him to what he wanted and the wish he held then. The kiss had bolstered him and filled him with warmth and just a desire to make her happy, an urge to sprinkler her in flowers. They'd come out of the ball of light and magic he'd called on. He'd grown up with tales of the Professor and heard of all the strange and magical people that man knew. People like Logan, Kurt, and the pixie Jubilee. Seeing them all living and breathing before him, Charles had thought the tales hadn't done any of them justice, least of all her. Looking to her now he feared he'd lost any chance at friendship with her, or possibly more.

"You cheated! You told me I showed you how to Paff all the way back then! But if I just showed you how to now you already knew back then you big, stinky, pooper pants!" Jubilee shrieked, picking up a slice of tomato from her loathed salad to throw it at Charles to hit him squarely in the face.

Charles sat dumbly as the juice ran down his jaw with his hair matted against his head and the court laughing at him. She stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms, huffed once and looked away before a stealing a glance from the corner of her eye, a glance full of mischief. Charles felt his heart grow light again and looked about the table to find a bowl of mashed potatoes. Reaching for them he did the only thing he could think of and threw a fistful at her, her shriek echoing through the banquet hall.

"Ah! You, why you!" Jubilee gasped with the mashed potatoes covering her face, wiping it from her eyes to glare at him in full challenge.

Courtesans and Courtiers fled to the walls to watch with handkerchiefs and silk gloves raised over their lips to hide their smiles and laughter, passing off an air of offence to protect their dignity. Guthrie's and Espinosa's looked to another across the tables, joining in on the food fight in a spray of food that had the hounds of the court racing about to catch treats falling to the floor. From the head of the table Scott and Logan shared a look, leaning back in their chairs and enjoying the moment for what it was, a bit of levity when it was most needed. They both knew the days ahead of them would be challenging indeed, destiny catching up to them after so long.

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	7. The Master

_Marvel owns the X-men, No Profit is to be made from this work._

_Author's Note : A touch shorter than I expected but I enjoyed writing this chapter too much to leave it laying around waiting for inspiration for more, I do hope you enjoy a bit of fluffiness. _

Paige couldn't believe she was here, the renowned library of Westchester, holding some of the most important tomes and scrolls of any Kingdom, standing frozen at the threshold looking on in awe. Angelo stood to her side, patient and quiet himself, waiting to follow her lead. Ahead of them both they could see Charles waving, Jubilee once again no more than a sprite darting about him.

"Well Chica, you said you wanted to train with the Professor." Angelo said, pushing her into the library.

"But, he isn't, but is, and...it's not..." Paige sputtered, looking to him as she pointed ahead to Charles.

"Chica, you're cute, smart, and know the kinds of people most people spend their lives just tellin' stories about. Let me tell ya something. Anyone can be an apprentice or squire of someone important, how often do ya get to say you trained with them personally?" Angelo kissed her nose, her cheek, pressed a kiss to her lips that lingered with her eyes closing.

"When did you get so smart?" Paige asked opening her eyes to stare into his own.

"Hanging around with the right kinda people, do your Mama proud, gotta do the same. Herr Wagner will have my arse if I'm not down to the courtyard by noon for practice." Angelo held her hands, one last kiss shared between them before he turned to leave.

Left alone Paige made her way into the library, treading lightly as she walked through the shelves, every scroll or tome a priceless fount of knowledge, the playground of the boy who she knew would become the Professor. With her satchel at her side, full of her most treasured scrolls gifted to her by Ororo and others, she walked in to chase after the pair. She could hear Jubilee rambling on about the basics of magic, recalled the words from so long ago, little more than a child at her father's feet, the pixie daring to teach her how to Paff. It was a lesson Paige had yet to master, watching Charles do it so easily she knew he could only be who they knew him to be.

"So we have to find you a master to teach you." Paige heard Jubilee, saw the questioning gaze of Charles fall on her as she flitted in front of him.

"Why can't you teach me?" Charles asked.

Jubilee just turned her back to him, huffing as if he'd asked her why the sky wasn't green instead of blue. Paige knew the answer, had asked it herself once.

"I can show you how to use some magic, but Human magic is just so, ah! So full of stuffy rules and talking about all sorts of nonsense trying to find the Ley lines instead of just reaching out for them. Magic, real magic, is good, happy, about wishes and helping. Humans figured out how to be humans with magic. That's why you have to find a master to teach you, otherwise it's like giving someone a bunch of gunpowder and lit candle, ya just know they're going to blow 'emselves up!" Jubilee explained, turning to find Paige leaning against a bookshelf.

Crystal shattered as Jubilee burst to her full height, landing lightly on her feet to hug Paige. She caught Charles looking to her friend, smiled as he tried to look beyond them at being caught, Paige laughing at his antics. She was hardly much older than him, maybe a couple of years, but she couldn't believe who he was, believe he would become the Professor. Whispering to Jubilee what she'd seen, she saw the pixie flutter her wings as she only did when her most happiest or mischievous, wondering really which it was then. Sharing a room with Jubilee, she'd been sworn to secrecy to the kiss the two had shared, hidden in between the heartbeats of the court in that one frozen moment.

"She told you, didn't she?" Charles asked, Paige blushing red and going rigid.

Jubilee tore free of the embrace to stomp across to him and glare up, Charles a few inches taller than her, just enough that when her bare feet touched earth he had an advantage. Pointing a finger at him, she puffed her cheeks out angrily, spouting Fey before flicking her finger against his ear, Charles crying in pain.

"Don't use that mind ready magic stuff on friends, unless you have to! And if you ever use it on me, I'll Paff you to Khaus! Now get looking, both of you, it's got to be here somewhere. The Professor told me he found his master in a special book, only ever found in this library. Of course it likes to hide, it's a special book, a journal." Jubilee shrunk to a pixie's favoured size, darting off leaving Paige and Charles alone.

Paige looked to Charles, the boy looking up to her with questioning eyes. Placing a guiding hand on his shoulder and pushed him ahead of her. She could only wonder who could ever have taught the Professor, a man like that would have to be powerful, legendary, or secretive that they'd never find him. Looking to the shelves Paige resisted the urge to pause and read, so much knowledge just sitting there for her.

"What do you think it looks like?" Charles asked, running a finger along the bindings of the tomes, pulling one free and handing it to Paige.

"Ah don't know, Ah mean my journal was just a book my Papa bought me at some bazaar he visited, plain leather full of blank pages." Paige looked to the book she'd been given, trying to decipher the magic tongue of mankind, so different from the Fey she'd learnt from Jubilee and Ororo.

Charles stopped, looked back to her, saw her confusion and looked in understanding. Pulling a pair of glasses from his vest pocket he handed them over. Paige took them gently, the tome stuffed under one arm as she inspected them. The frames were undoubtedly gold, but the lenses weren't anything like she'd seen, almost looking to be made of the shimmering surface of the lake on a still day.

"I don't need them anymore, but try them. Scott gave them to me when I was first learning, said they used to belong to the Professor, to me I guess. You can have them, they should help you." Charles smiled, turning to trudge on through the stacks, looking at the various books in their search for the one that would undoubtedly look out of place.

Paige put the glasses on, blinked at finding the world hardly looked any different, just looking all the crisper, sharper. Looking down to the book she'd been given she couldn't stifle her gasp, the magic words written as plain as day, A Treatise of Ley Magic. Pulling them away the words lost their meaning, putting them back on to find it as clear as day. Throwing the book open she flipped through the pages, oft taking them off to stare at the words that made little sense without them. Feeling a weight upon her head she looked up to find Jubilee sitting cross-legged there, staring down at her.

"Where'd you find the Professor's reading glasses?" Jubilee asked, leaning down to stare at them.

"Charles gave them to me, said to keep them." Paige took them off, staring at them in awe.

"Oh neat, well, I'm going to keep looking. Keep them safe, you'll need them, human magic is so boring to try and read, blah blah this and long winded name for a rutabaga that. Made by a bunch of people who just liked to hear themselves talk, not like Fey magic. All you need for Fey magic is a magic word and a wish. But nooo, they figured out how to take all the fun out of it! Anyways, Bye!" Jubilee darted off in a flash, Paige left to search alone.

Tucking the tome under her arm, she walked along, looking at the world through the glasses, her glasses now, marvelling at the titles of the books and tomes she passed. Ahead she could hear Jubilee and Charles, the two in an argument from the sound of things over a book being dropped on him, Jubilee professing her innocence. Following their voices Paige caught up to the pair, seeing a large tome lying on the ground with Charles holding his head, Jubilee already working her Fey magic to heal the bump.

"Well it wasn't Paige who dropped it!" Charles accused.

"Well I didn't drop it, stinky pooper! Paff!" Jubilee stuck her tongue out as the ball of magic struck Charles in the temple, the boy looking up in relief.

With the two looking at another in a war of wills, suddenly a crack sounded, followed by another more distant one. Racing off after the noise the three stared at the dust that hung about another tome lying between the isles, another further down.

"See, told you I didn't do it." Jubilee retorted, crossing her arms and looking miffed.

"Jubilee, didn't you say it likes to hide?" Paige asked, Charles looking to her with sudden understanding.

"The journal!" Charles cried out, looking around the stacks, pointing as they all watched another book pushed from it's shelf to fall.

"Get it!" Jubilee screamed, darting ahead.

Racing through the stacks the trio dodged books falling, the shelves literally shaking as books rippled as if something running behind them. Turning a corner they stared in horror as a shelf started to topple, Charles held his hand out, a blue glow forming as he uttered an incantation, the shelf frozen in place.

"Quick, push it back up before it falls!" Charles cried, standing rigid in concentration with the glow flickering and fading.

Jubilee burst to her full height, Paige joining her as the two pushed the shelf back from it's precarious perch. Panting for breath the trio fell in a heap next to another, looking around the stacks, catching books pushed forward slowly, almost as if something were peeking at them from behind.

"You sure he said it was a book?" Paige asked, climbing to her feet.

"Yep!" Jubilee walked about, peeking from behind a shelf down another row.

Charles tugged at Paige's dress, the girl turning to look in horror at what he couldn't find the words to express, a tidal wave of books flying from the shelves about them, the shelves bare in it's wake. Grasping Jubilee by an arm each the pair raced on ahead with her, trying to outrun deluge of knowledge that threatened to overtake them. Coming to an intersection they froze, each looking down a row of stacks to see the same phenomenon coming straight for them.

"Hold on!" Jubilee screamed, taking a hand each in her own, working her wings in a flurry as dust formed and swelled around them, pinks and blues mixed with yellows and gold.

Just as the torrent of books neared Jubilee tightened her grip and with a surge of strength Paige nor Charles could hardly believe, pulled them high over the stacks as the crashing wave of tomes fell on the place they'd been. Struggling for height Jubilee held them aloft, both afforded a view of the library, Charles crying out in dismay at the mess, the isles littered with books and scrolls. No warning was given as Jubilee fainted, Charles and Paige left to tumble on the tomes in a heap.

"Jubilee, Jubilee!" Charles asked, the pixie cracking an eye open and offering him a tired smile.

"Dizzy...hungry..." Jubilee whispered, falling unconscious again leaving Charles stricken.

"Don't worry, just let her nap some and we'll get some sweets for her, she'll be right as rain. Lets go find that damn book now! Ah think it' owes the three of us an explanation at the least, and you a Master!" Paige groused, glaring at the nearly empty shelves, hear heart aching for the rough treatment of the treasure trove.

Carrying Jubilee on his back in a piggyback, Charles walked the shelves with Paige, the two looking about hearing the skittering sound of parchment flapping in the breeze. Looking to another in unspoken agreement, they split up as they neared a corner, both taking the sole isles that lead to the hidden alcove. Laying there on a desk, it's covers fluttering and it's pages flapping lay an unassuming book, left with nowhere to run. Paige crossed her arms glaring at it, laughing at realizing how absurd the whole adventure suddenly sounded. The book froze then, Charles walking closer to it whispering reassurances, promising not to hurt it.

"It's okay, I, I think you knew me? I just need your help." Charles said, nearing the desk with Paige cutting off any escape.

Suddenly the book threw itself open, pages flapping by until it stopped at a blank page. Slowly an image started to form as if penned by an unseen hand, a man that looked neither young nor old, just wise and with steel in his eyes. Slowly words were inked in flowing script underneath with an extravagant flourish, the Magus Magnus they said, underneath they carried on, Master of my Mentor, the Professor. Off in a corner of the work, just like an artists signature a word lay, Destiny.

Charles and Paige looked to another in awe and shock, looking back to the pages of the journal. The book slammed shut with what they could only imagine to be dismissive crack, knowing they had found what they had come for even if they couldn't believe it. Leaving the book behind they wound their way through the nigh empty stacks, struggling to find a way past the pile of books that littered the library. It'd grown all too quiet, even their breathing sounding loud as they neared the doors.

"How can..." Charles asked, looking lost as he stared at the floor.

"I don't know...I never really believed he was real." Paige said, holding her satchel to her chest for the comfort it gave her.

With the uneasy silence weighing down upon them the door to the library opened, Charles looking up in fear at the man he saw there. Paige froze, wondering just who the man was, seeing the shock on his face as he looked past to the disaster that had become of the library. He looked more beast than man, blue fur so much like Kurt's she couldn't help but wonder if he was an elf in some way.

"Hello Mister McCoy sir, I can explain!" Charles began, Hank carefully pushing him aside as he looked at the mess.

"It wasn't our fault, well, I mean..." Paige tried to vouch but was hushed by a surprisingly gentle tone for so bestial a man.

Pressing his fingers to his lips he whistled sharply, the shelves and stacks rattling again until the very book they'd hunted after, nearly been buried by, appeared on the nearest of the shelves. Hank looked at it as one might a pet, the book falling flat on the shelf, it's pages rustling in what almost sounded like a whimper.

"I take it this is your fault isn't it? I thought we had worked through this, bad book! Now go back to your shelf, we'll talk about this later!" Hank scolded, turning his back on the book that vanished in a rattling of empty shelves.

Charles and Paige stared at him in awe, hardly believing everything else they'd seen only to have this man talk to a book as if it were a child or misbehaving pet.

"Forgive me for my rudeness, I really should have introduced myself first. Henry McCoy, Librarian and personal tutor to Charles. I take it you're Paige, I must express my regrets upon the news of your fathers passing. By the slumbering pixie upon your back Charles I imagine that the book was causing a good enough deal of trouble that she must have tuckered herself out? " Hank offered his hand to Paige, taking her own to press a chaste kiss to her knuckles.

"Are you an elf Sir?" Paige asked staring in wonder.

"Oh stars and garters no, just an accident from my younger days. Keeping so many tomes of magic and other assorted powers in one place can have that effect on you if you're not careful with what you say and your inflection. Now if you don't mind could you tell me what you were looking for with that particular book that might have warranted an unplanned resorting of the Royal Library?" Hank asked as he looked about the mess.

"The Professor said he found his Master in that book, I didn't expect it to be...so..." Charles sputtered for words.

"Magical? Spirited? I hope it told you what you sought, but I imagine you might not have expected the answer you found. There is a reason that book likes to hide, it's only meant to be found by people who need answers, could you imagine that power in the wrong hands?" Hank asked, Paige and Charles both looking in understanding to him.

"Now then, be off the lot of you, oh and Paige, when you're done with that book there please bring it back, I have another you might be interested then. Good day." Hank said, turning his back to start with the task set before him, singing to himself as he did so.

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	8. Destiny

_Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work._

The new day dawned with the promise of fair winds after the red sky the night before, forever a sailors delight. As painful as it was Paige stood along the wharf and looked to her brother and his crew as they all stood there ready to set sail. Fresh men and women had been found from the Kingdom Westchester to join them in their questionable ways but glory awaited them all. Angelo stood next to Mister Wagner looking sheepish despite the pistol tucked into his belt with the sword at his waist.

"All of ya, you be safe ya hear? Or, or..." Paige sputtered before her words failed her.

Feeling the press of lips against her own she looked in blissful surprise to see Angelo there saving her from the idle threat she couldn't find. Throwing her arms about him she savoured the embrace as they only drew apart gasping for breath. Befuddled as both were they were saved any silly small talk as Mama Guthrie fired the flintlock pistol that had been in her first born son's belt. With the scent of black powder and the sea on the breeze Paige looked to her Mama.

"Had ta check that it'd fire, can't be sending me boy off ta sea with a failin' pistol." Mama said with a wink.

"Here...take this." Paige said pulling her silk kerchief from her pocket to hand to Angelo.

He took it and gave it a hearty sniff, scented with the perfume the courtesans had nearly bathed her in the days before when the feast had welcomed them to the Kingdom of Westchester. Tying it around his neck, Angelo gave an awkward bow to her as he placed a gentle kiss to her delicate hand. Blushing, Paige found her fingers lingering until she had to let go as he turned to join the crew of the Crossed Sabres.

Standing there she watched as Kurt barked orders to the crew, old and new alike. Lines were cast and the sails raised. At the helm of the ship Angelo manned the wheel looking out to the seaways, Sam at his back with their father's Spyglass sighting their course. She thought she might join him this time at sea in search of adventure. Fate had chosen differently for her, her nose sniffling with tears tenderly rolling down her sun touched cheeks. Standing there with the rest of her Clan she fell into her mothers loving embrace and wondered how she'd ever managed to let go all those times Papa Guthrie had sailed off.

"It gets easier Daughter o' mine, but it always hurts to let them go." Mama Guthrie said softly.

Looking up Paige saw the tears in her eyes, her momma taking a nip from the silver flask she always kept hidden in her bosom. Raising it in salute to the ship that sailed off they stood there with their family until it was no more than a shadow to slip past the coast.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Sitting at his desk rubbing the bridge of his nose, Scott had known this day would come but still found it just too soon as he looked to the boy who he'd raised as his own. Charles to his credit sat catching up on his studies reading through another of the tomes Henry had selected, the boys ravenous appetite for knowledge devouring whole wings of the Royal Library. Looking to his guests Scott could still remember clearly when Logan seemed to be a tall man and Jubilee a lady, worldly and wise. Looking to them now it pained him to see them differently but the years had a way of doing that.

"Destiny catches up to us." Scott began.

They were the words the Professor had used that day he'd taken him to the Library to find his answer in that very same journal. It had been the day he had asked why he was fit to stand in the stead of the King who wasn't there, for as long as the Kingdom Westchester had stood no man had been crowned. Men and women had risen to stand as protector and guardian, with the Professor always at their side. Hardly older than Charles now as he learnt the way of the sword under the Captain of the Guards, in a moment of weakness from the burden thrust on his young shoulders Scott had asked why him. Thinking back to what he'd seen in the journal that day it always helped his resolve in those moments when he questioned himself.

"King Shaw has built a Navy and has closed his borders. Kingdoms and city states are joining in coalitions, so many that it can only mean war will be upon us soon. Hank reports correspondences with his fellows of thefts of tomes and relics, some priceless while others have sat in dust forgotten." Scott explained as he pulled out a map along his desk that showed the lines drawn over world.

"It wasn't moi, Remy and his Chere learned dat lesson de hard way." Remy said with his hands up in his defence.

Offering the man a smile for daring to lighten the mood Scott looked back down to the map to the mountainous Kingdom of Hellfire. Steeps lay below the foothills that held the seat of power with a natural harbor tucked away beneath the rocky cliffs that the Castle of King Shaw sat on. Only once had Scott seen that Kingdom, so many years ago and it still stuck with him. Travelling through those very lands with a man who he thought a hermit when he had still been stricken blind. In those mountains they had found the Cyclops and killed it, a beast of the very depths of the earth with its one burning red gemstone eye.

The trek back to Westchester had been long indeed witnessing the suffering of that kingdoms people, unable to do anything then. Thinking of that hermit, the Professor in another of his countless disguises, Scott knew now a lesson when he saw it. He wouldn't let the man down he swore now gritting his teeth.

"Charles?" Scott called softly as he caught his son's attention.

"Yes sir?" Charles asked looking up from his book.

"Tell them who you saw in that journal." Scott said before taking a seat in his chair.

Charles looked about those gathered, summoning his courage to tell them the impossible that he'd seen in that journal. Surely even legendary figures as these couldn't believe what he'd seen as he looked for his Master as Jubilee had told him to.

"The Magus Magnus, he's supposed to be my master. He's supposed to teach me magic." Charles said.

Charles expected laughter or outright cries of disbelief, instead they all just sat there looking thoughtful. Remy and Rogue shared a guarded look with their hands finding another, chaste kisses pressed to her with whispered promises. Logan bore him with a stoic look before climbing from his chair to find the liquor cabinet for something to wet his suddenly dry mouth. Looking to the girls that had been there to find that truth he saw them both just offering him silent support.

"So I be guessin' ya need Remy and me to go find that other eye then?" Rogue asked of Scott.

"Steal it actually." Scott replied without a moment's hesistation.

"Oh? Now dat sound more up our specialty, you know where it is?" Remy asked.

"In the Kingdom of Hellfire, I could only imagine in the very depths of Shaw's castle." Scott answered.

The silence weighed down heavy on the room then as the two lovers looked to another. Washing down the last of the bottle of port that he'd been drinking, Logan walked to the pair and stood with them giving a nod.

"So it ain't just war that's on us is it?" Logan asked of Scott.

"It's a war so old I can't imagine even you were alive when it was fought. The only thing every legend and prophecy can agree on is that if Magnus ever came back so shall He." Scott said.

"Guessin' we just got to make sure the two o' them finish their pissin' match this time around." Logan rumbled as the hint of a beast danced in his eyes.

"You mean...the Demon Lord Apocalypse?" Paige asked with a gasped breath.

Scott rose from his seat and walked to the girl, gently taking her head in hand and drawing her close. While not of blood he'd always think of her as family and he couldn't bear the fearful look that filled her eyes at the revelation.

"Your mother's Caravan rides with my Calvary at her side, Clan Guthrie will visit our allies to bring warning and cry the call to war." Scott said looking into the depths of her blue eyes.

Seeing Paige find her resolve he looked about the room and saw heroes in them all, knowing he had so very much work still left to do despite all the preparations he'd made over the years. With his arm about Paige he beckoned Charles to his side and lead the pair on to the door.

"It's about time for a visit to the Royal Garden, something has been waiting there a very long time. We shouldn't keep it waiting any longer." Scott remarked.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

While most Gardens of the Royal Courts were immaculate sculptures that sought to tame the beauty of nature in between paths and walls of shrubberies, the Royal Garden of Westchester was unique in all the lands. Opening the wrought iron gate Paige could only marvel and wonder if she'd not been taken back to the Untamed Wilds looking to grove of trees that grew wild about one towering old Oak. Moss hung from the boughs that seemed to sparkle in the light while flowering vines crept up the trunks with butterflies feeding on the nectar. Jubilee instantly looked at home as she darted about gleefully.

"How?" Paige asked in shock.

"It is always good to see you still so full of wonder child." The majestic voice so familiar called from in the depths of the garden.

"Ororo!" Paige cried in confusion.

Wandering out of the grove she tread lightly on the lush carpet of moss, dressed in a gown of pale moss that sparkled with the morning dew. On her shoulder Jubilee sat chatting about all the adventures they'd had. Slow at first Paige found she couldn't fight the urge to race to Ororo and throw her arms about in a long hug. Walking with her she saw how the dryad looked on Charles with a touch of the sadness she'd seen in Jubilee only days before when the wee fey had met the boy.

"Miss." Charles said with a bow, a blush on his cheeks after seeing the forest beauty.

"A pleasure, I am sure we will become fine friends again." Ororo said, tenderly stroking his brow and letting her fingers run through his hair.

"Lady Ororo." Scott said formally with a bow.

"Scott, please, we have known another far too long for such formality. Is that a touch of grey I see?" Ororo said with a playful tease to her voice.

"It may well be, the court weighs heavy these days." Scott replied in a friendlier tone as he ran a hand through his hair.

Making her rounds Ororo greeted everyone with a fond word and a gentle touch, pausing at last to stand before Logan. Looking to another as they did Paige was left to wonder what had been passed between the two that words simply needed be spoken for.

"Ro." Logan said after a time.

"Logan. It never ceases to amaze me what adventures you two always seem to get caught up in every time I leave you alone." Ororo playfully joked.

"I blame her, natural magnet for mischief and trouble." Logan said with a nod to Jubilee.

The wee fey just made a face at Logan, pulling her lips as her eyes rolled back to show the white of her eyes. It was enough to earn a chuckle from the man, many more joining in and banishing the last lingering dregs of worry that Scott's revelation had cast. Walking together they all joined at the aged Oak with Ororo tenderly caressing the bark whispering in the Fey tongue. The tree creaked and groaned with the sudden wind that blew through the boughs, leaves scattered to the wind as they danced. Ororo looked on it with a smile and a tear threatening to fall down her cheek.

"Your burden is over child of my Tree, let it out now as the time has finally come." Ororo said in the tongue of men.

With a thunderous crash the trunk of the aged Oak split revealing a hollow inside, lit by the glowing moss and iridescent mushrooms that grew along the walls. Tangled in vines a staff hung there with a thrum of power that reached into her very bones. Paige looked on it and knew that this thing was nothing that belonged in a place of Fey magic, knowing instantly the hand of man that had wrought it.

"Charles, you told me so very long ago to keep this safe until the day came when you would have need of it. Go and claim it, use it to fulfill your destiny. Claim the Staff of Magnus." Ororo intoned.

The shock that ran through the crowd touched all but a few, only Scott and Logan looking grim and resolute as Charles stepped into the hollow. Reaching a tentative hand out Charles spared a glance to the man who had raised him as his own.

"It's your choice to make Charles, I've raised you from a babe but it's time for you to find your own way now. I know you'll always make me proud." Scott said lending his strength to the boy.

Paige watched as Charles took up the staff in his hand and felt the shock of power that raced through the grove. Stepping back through the hollow with the staff in hand Charles walked to stand before them, the air simply electric in his presence. He looked to the tree and looked sad for the wound that cut through the trunk dripping sap.

"Jubilation?" Ororo asked kindly to the fey on her shoulder.

"Yep!" Jubilee cried as she tumbled from her perch, the shatter of crystal sounding as she landed in a crouch at her full height.

Words of fey magic were spoken as the two neared the tree and laid their hands on it, pixie dust joining with the glow that engulfed Ororo. Stepping closer Paige joined in speaking the Fey magic she'd been taught by the pair over the years, working the most powerful spell of healing she could cast. Tears fell on her cheeks but instead of sadness she felt the relief of the old Oak and felt buoyed by it, smiling in kind with Jubilee who fluttered her wings furiously next to her. Fey magic was about wishes and happiness, about helping people Jubilee always said. Reaching for that wish Paige cast it with all her strength and felt the surge of life in that oak as the trunk twisted under her touch to mend the rent wood.

"You did it! You finally learned to Paff silly!" Jubilee cried gleefully.

Looking up Paige saw stars in her eyes and realized she was laying on a bed of moss with everyone looking down on her. Feeling the brush of fingers through her hair she looked to find Ororo sitting there gently cradling her head in her lap. Smiling to the dryad Paige lay there feeling tired but rested.

"Not only that, it looks as though the child of my Tree has given you a gift Paige, so long as you have it you shall never be alone nor far from us." Ororo said softly.

Paige looked to find her hand clasp tightly on a branch that lay in her hand, straight and tall with buds dotting it. Vines wrapped about it and at it's very top a broad leave hung glowing and pulsing with life. She could feel the blessing of that old oak in it and looked to three to see the trunk stood whole again.

"Thank you." Paige said softly knowing she needn't say more.

"Neat! You both got staffs now!" Jubilee said in a joyous tone.

Looking to Charles she saw him standing there and could imagine him as the Professor now, the words of Angelo coming back in this moment. How few indeed got to train with those legends.


End file.
